NIGGER" 


THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 

NEW  YORK  '    BOSTON   -    CHICAGO 
ATLANTA  •    SAN    FRANCISCO 

MACMILLAN  &  CO.,  LIMITED 

LONDON   •    BOMBAY  •    CALCUTTA 
MELBOURNE 

THE  MACMILLAN  CO.  OF  CANADA,  LTD. 

TORONTO 


"THE    NIGGER' 

3n  American  Ma£  in  W^ut  3ct$ 


BY 

EDWARD    SHELDON 


THE   MACMILLAN   COMPANY 
1910 

reserved 


COPTBIGHT,   1910, 

'«    <!B?  TdE-  MACMILLAN  COMPANY. 

So*  ap  and  eHctrctypedi     Published  September,  1910. 


Xortoooli  Ipress 

J.  8.  Cushing  &  Co.  —  Berwick  <fc  Smith  Co. 
Norwood,  Mass.,  U.S.A. 


PS 3537 


TO 

A.  K. 


210414 


THE   NEW   THE.  TRE 


THE    NIGGER 

A  PLAY  IN  THREE  ACTS  BY 
EDWARD   SHELDON 


PRODUCED  BY  GEORGE  FOSTER  PLATT 


SCENES 
ACT  FIRST 
JUNE  30.    EVENING  AT  "  MORROW'S  REST." 


INTERMISSION— FIFTEEN  MINUTES 


ACT  SECOND 

APRIL  230.    THE  GOVERNOR'S  STUDY  IN  HIS  CITY  HOUSE. 
ABOUT  TEN  O'CLOCK  IN  THE  MORNING. 

ACT  THIRD 

APRIL  26TH.     THE  GOVERNOR'S  PRIVATE  OFFICE  AT  THE 
CAPITOL.    EVENING. 

PLACE:  THE  SOUTH.        TIME:  Now. 


CHARACTERS 

NAMED  IN   THE   ORDER   OF  THEIR  APPEARANCE 

SIMMS,  Morrow's  butler  MR.  REGINALD  BARLOW 

JINNY,  Morrovjs  "  mammy  "  Miss  BEVERLY  SITGREAVES 

CLIFPON  No  YES,  president  of  the  Noyes  Distillery  Works 

MR.  BEN  JOHNSON 

GEORGIANA  BYRD  Miss  ANNIE  RUSSELL 

PHILIP  MORROW,  of  "  MorroT.v's  Rest "  and  sheriff  of 

Westbury  County  MR.  GUY  BATES  POST 

PURDY,  deputy  sheriff  of  Westbury  County     MR.  ROBERT  E.  HOMANS 
MRS.  BYRD  MRS.  H.  OTIS  DELLENBAUGH 

JOE  WHITE  MR.  OSWALD  YORKE 

JAKE  WILLIS  MR.  PEDRO  DE  CORDOBA 

BARRINGTON,  the  Governor's  private  secretary 

MR.  JACOB  WENDELL,  JR. 

CHIEF-OF-POLICE  TILTON  MR.  WILFRID  NORTH 

COLONEL  KNAPP,  of  the  $th  Militia  MR.  WILLIAM  McVAY 

THE  GOVERNOR'S  DOORKEEPER  MR.  ROBERT  VIVIAN 

SENATOR  THOMAS  R.  LONG  MR.  LEE  BAKER 

MEMBERS  OF  THE  GOVERNOR'S  STAFF,  REPORTERS,  ETC. 

First  Production  December  4,  1909 


ACT  I 

JUNE  3D  — Twilight  at  "Morrow's  Rest." 

ACT  II 

FEBRUARY  230  —  The  Governor's  study  in  his  city 
house;  about  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning. 

ACT  III 

FEBRUARY  26x11  —  The  Governor's  private  office  at 
the  Capitol;  afternoon. 

PLACE  — THE  SOUTH. 
TIME  — Now. 


CHARACTERS 

PHILIP  MORROW,  of  "Morrow's  Rest"  and  Sheriff  of 

Wesibury  County 
CLIFTON  NOYES,   President  of   the  Noyes  Distillery 

Works 

SENATOR  THOMAS  R.  LONG 
COLONEL  KNAPP,  of  the  $th  Militia 
BARRINGTON,  the  Governor's  private  secretary 
JAKE  WILLIS 

PURDY,  Deputy  Sheriff  of  Wesibury  County 
CHIEF-OF- POLICE  TILTON 
THE  GOVERNOR'S  DOORKEEPER 
SIMMS,  Morrow's  butler 
JOE  WHITE 
MRS.  BYRD 
GEORGIANA  BYRD 
JINNY,  Morrow's  "Mammy" 

Officers  of  the  Militia,  newspaper  men,  members  of  the  State 

Legislature,  farmers  of  Westbury  County,  rioting 

citizens,  newsboys,  etc. 


ACT  I 

Evening  at  " Morrow's  Rest"  — June  $rd. 

At  the  right,  half  facing  the  audience,  extends  the  faqade 
of  an  old-fashioned  Southern  colonial  mansion .  Il  is 
built  of  white  frame,  two-storied,  with  four  great  white 
Doric  columns  going  up  from  the  rather  narrow  ve 
randa  to  the  pediment  above.  A  flight  of  four  or  five 
steps,  flanked  on  each  side  by  a  carriage  block  the 
height  of  the  veranda,  leads  up  to  the  front  door.  On 
either  side  of  the  door,  at  regular  intervals,  are  long 
French  windows,  with  green  shutters  folded  back.  At 
present  the  curtains  are  practically  drawn,  but  the 
glow  of  the  lamplight  within  can  be  seen. 

A  luxuriant  honeysuckle  vine  shuts  off  the  side  view  of 
the  house.  Crimson  ramblers  riot  round  the  base 
of  the  veranda,  so  that  the  house  itself  seems  to  rise 
from  them.  Coming  up  to  the  steps  is  a  carriage 
drive,  which  terminates  with  the  footlights;  going  in 
the  other  direction,  it  turns  and  is  lost  to  view  amid 
the  evergreens  and  shrubbery  on  either  side.  Along 
the  back  are  more  flowering  shrubs  and  beyond  them 
a  hedge  of  box.  There  is  a  sudden  depression  beyond 
this,  indicating  that  the  house  stands  upon  a  slight 
rise.  The  tops  of  trees  can  be  seen. 

At  the  left  is  another  hedge,  almost  concealed  by  shrubs 
and  magnolia  trees  in  full  bloom.  Between  this  hedge 

3 


4  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  i 

and  the  carriage  drive  is  a  plot  of  smoothly  clipped 
turf,  which  occupies  the  centre  of  the  stage.  In  this, 
towards  the  left,  rises  a  magnificent  live-oak,  with  an 
old  twisted  trunk.  Under  it  are  a  garden  bench,  a 
small  table  on  which  are  a  coffee  tray  and  several 
scattered  cups,  and  two  small  chairs,  in  some  con 
fusion.  To  the  right  of  this,  bordering  the  carriage 
drive,  are  several  white  rose-bushes.  It  is  just  after 
sunset;  the  lights  are  dim  and  rosy,  casting  violet 
shadows.  As  the  act  progresses,  the  western  sky,  seen 
at  back  over  tree-tops,  fades  from  rose  to  a  clear  pale 
green,  and  one  or  two  stars  appear.  Then,  almost 
imperceptibly,  the  moonlight  filters  through  the  trees, 
checkering  the  fagade  of  the  old  house  with  light  and 
shade.  The  whole  scene  is  impregnated  with  ancient 
and  ordered  beauty,  peaceful  charm.  As  the  curtain 
rises  the  stage  is  empty  for  a  moment.  From  the 
drawing-room  within  can  be  heard  a  girl's  voice  sing 
ing  Schubert's  "  Du  bist  die  Riihe,"  with  the  piano 
accompaniment;  it  continues  throughout  the  following 
scene. 

Simms,  the  old  butler,  comes  creakily  out  the  front  door 
and  down  the  steps.  lie  is  a  gray-haired,  bow-legged 
old  negro,  in  an  ill-fitting  dress  suit  and  white  cotton 
gloves.  His  walk  and  manner  are  haughty.  He 
shuffles  across  the  driveway  to  the  table  under  the  live- 
oak,  puts  the  four  coffee-cups  upon  the  tray,  and  turns 
back  to  the  house  with  the  whole  affair. 


- 


ACT  i]  THE   NIGGER  5 

Meanwhile  Jinny,  an  ancient  quadroon  woman,  tall, 
gaunt,  neatly  dressed,  has  come  silently  up  the  drive 
way,  between  the  shrubberies,  and  suddenly  appears 
to  Simms. 

JINNY. 
My  Joe  bin  roun'  heah  ? 

SIMMS. 
Startled,  the  coffee-cups  rattling. 

Whodat? 

JINNY. 

Coming  forward. 

My  Joe  bin  roun'  heah  ?  I  cain't  fin'  him  nowheres 
t'-night. 

SIMMS. 

i 
Recovering  himself  and  speaking  angrily. 

Sho',  Jinny !  W'erefo'  yo'  come  up  en'  try  t' 
scar'  me  lak  dis?  Yo'  mos'  make  me  drop  mah 
tray ! 

JINNY. 

Joe  ain't  come  home  fo'  suppah  en'  I  thought  yo' 
mighta  seed  him  'bout  the  house. 


I 

THE  NIGGER  [ACT  i 


SIMMS. 
Angrily. 

Clar'  t'  goodness,  wish  I  had !  Wen  that  thar 
niggah  comes  heah  agin,  I'se  gwine  t'  brek  his 
haid !  Dat  I  am !  Nevah  brought  in  no  wood 
all  day.  I  sen'  out  'Liza  t'  do  't  en'  she  say  'tain't 
her  wuhk,  en'  all  de  niggahs  in  de  house  ain't  done 
finish  fightin'  en'  talkin'  -  -  jes'  'kaze  dat  black 
debbil  done  run  off  t'  de  saloom ! 

JINNY. 

Wearily. 

I  speck  yo'  right.  Hev  yo'  got  suthin'  fo'  me 
t'-night  ?  Seems  lak  I  might  take  it  down  wif  me 
t'  de  cabin. 

SIMMS. 
Grumbling. 

Fo'  dat  young  good-fo'-nuffin  hawg-grubbah  t' 
swallow  w'en  he  done  come  home?  Laws  me, 
w'y  Marse  Phil  'lows  his  fried  chicken  en'  co'n- 
braid  t'  feed  dat  wo'thless  rap-sea llion,  I  jes' 
cain't  see !  Clar  out  o'  heah,  yo'  orn'ry  yallah 
gal! 


ACT  i]  THE   NIGGER  7 

JINNY. 

Crushingly.  > 

Yallah  gal  —  !  Sho' !  I  was  livin'  heah  fo'  yo'  was 
bawn  !  Don'  fo'get  dat,  yo'  imperent,  low-down 
li'tle  niggah  yo' ! 

SIMMS. 
Pacifically. 

HoP  on,  Jinny  !  I  ain't  said  numn'.  Dat  I  ain't ! 
Yo'  g'  long  now  en'  I'll  sen'  down  a  gal  t'  yo' 
cabin  wif  a  basket. 

JINNY. 

Turning  away. 

Yo'  sho'  will  —  er  Marse  Phil  'd  — 

SIMMS 
As  he  goes  up  the  steps. 

En'  keep  yo'  gran'chillun  out  dat  saloom,  Jinny, 
ef  yo'  don'  want  t'  see  'em  cross  de  Jo'dan  ahead 
o'  yo' !  Dat  Joe  !  Lawd-a-massy  !  De  white  in 
him  ain't  done  nobody  no  good  's  fah's  dis  — 
'Sense  me,  sah ! 

He  stops  suddenly  and  turns  aside,  bowing,  on  seeing 
Noyes  and  Georgie,  who  have  opened  the  door  and  come 
out. 


8  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  i 

GEORGIE. 

A  lovely  young  girl  in  a  charmingly  simple  white  evening 
frock. 

Oh,  smell  the  honeysuckle  ! 

Drawing  in  a  deep  breath  as  she  gazes  about. 

How  lovely  it  is  after  the  rain  ! 

She  stands  on  the  top  step,  looking  off  into  the  twilight. 

Simms  disappears  inside. 

She  sees  Jinny,  who  has  turned  away. 

Is  that  you,  mammy  ?    Good  evening  ! 

JINNY. 

In  her  lifeless  voice. 

'Evenin',  Miss  Geo'gie. 

NOYES. 
Rather  patronizingly. 

How  are  you,  mammy  ? 

JINNY. 

Trailing  along  the  carriage  drive  and  disappearing. 
ToPable,  suh,  toPable,  thank  yo'  — 


ACT  i]  THE   NIGGER  9 

NOYES. 

Phil's  mammy  ? 

GEORGIE. 

Yes,  and  his  father's  befo'  him.  She's  been  heah 
longer  than  any  one  else  —  she  goes  back  to  the 
time  of  Phil's  grandfathah.  Why,  she  must  be 
a  hundred  now  —  and  she  hasn't  changed  a  bit 
since  I  was  a  little  girl  and  used  to  be  ovah  heah 
so  much ! 

NOYES. 

Now  I  remembah  !  —  Jinny  —  oh,  yes. 
He  seems  thoughtful;  then,  with  a  slight  effort. 
Phil's  mighty  good  to  her,  ain't  he? 

GEORGIE. 

Smiling. 

He  adores  her  —  goes  down  to  her  cabin  and  talks 
to  her  all  the  time  !  I  believe  she  has  a  grandson 
who  gives  her  a  lot  of  trouble.  —  Oh,  Phil's  won 
derful  with  all  his  da'kies  !  —  Isn't  that  a  whippo'- 
will? 

She  listens. 


io  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  i 

NOYES. 

He  mus'  have  'bout  six  hundred  —  eh  ?  Well,  I 
reckon  he  thinks  treatin'  his  niggahs  good  brings 
up  the  total  o'  his  cotton  crop !  Theah's  some- 
thin'  in  it ! 

GEORGIE. 
Coldly. 

I  don't  think  he's  kind  to  them  fo'  that.  —  Let's 
go  down. 

She  descends  the  steps,  followed  by  Noyes.  He  is  a  huge, 
lumbering,  determined-looking  man  with  a  hard  mouth 
and  chin.  With  men,  he  shows  his  keen,  close-mouthed, 
aggressive  business  mind;  with  women,  he  is  quite 
lacking  in  ease  and  assurance.  He  is  in  evening  dress, 
with  diamond  studs,  and  his  collar  secretly  annoys 
him. 

Georgie  crosses  to  one  of  the  chairs  under  the  live-oak 
tree  and  sits  down,  her  back  to  the  house.  Then  she 
speaks  to  him  without  turning  around. 

Mr.  Noyes? 

NOYES. 

Shifting  his  quid  and  choking  a  little. 
Yes'm. 


ACT  i]  THE  NIGGER  n 

GEORGIE. 

Yo'  —  chewing  again.  I  want  you  to  stop  when 
yo'  talking  to  me  at  least.  I  didn't  think  I'd 
have  to  mention  it  twice. 

NOYES. 

Guiltily. 

Jes'  a  little  —  while  you  were  singin' —  I  tried  not 
t'  let  any  one  notice  — 

GEORGIE. 

Interrupting. 

I'm  going  to  sit  with  my  back  to  you  fo'  a  moment, 
and  then  —  well,  I  never  expect  to  see  you  do  it 
again! 

Noyes  goes  quickly  to  the  driveway  and  comes  back  wiping 
his  mouth  with  his  handkerchief.  He  takes  a  chair 
facing  her  and  the  house,  and  sits  down  carefully. 

Still  with  dignity. 

Thank  you. 

NOYES. 

Please  fo'give  me,  Miss  Byrd.  But  when  a  man's 
been  chewin'  fo'  twenty  yeahs,  he  feels  kind  o' 
lonesome  without  — 

Hastily. 


12  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  i 

I  hope  you  won'  think  any  less  of  me,  b'cause 
I'm  —  well,  you  know ! 

GEORGIE. 

If  I  didn't  like  you,  do  you  think  I'd  refer  to  — 
yo'  habits? 

She  frowns  a  bit,  then  looks  up  at  him  with  a  resolute 
little  smile. 

We  won't  mention  it  any  mo',  please. — Now  what 
was  it  you  wanted  to  speak  to  me  about  ? 

NOYES. 

Theah's  no  hurry  —  that  is,  you  sound  so't  o' 
business-like.  It's  not  'xactly  business  —  least 
wise  mos'  people  don'  — 

GEORGIE. 

Smiling. 

I  thought  you  were  a  business  man  and  liked  to 
get  at  things  quickly. 

NOYES. 
Uncomfortably. 

Not  some  things.  It  takes  time  fo'  some  things ! 
An'  I  haven't  had  a  jiffy  alone  with  you  all  day ! 


ACT  i]  THE  NIGGER  13 

GEORGIE. 
Well,  this  is  the  last  chance  you'll  get. 

Glancing  over  her  shoulder. 

When  Phil  and  mothah  finish  talking  about 
that  investment  of  hers,  I'm  afraid  you'll  — 

NOYES. 

Yo'  mothah  don'  stand  f o'  me,  does  she  ?  Freezes 
right  up  whenever  I  say  a  wo'd!  The  only  thing 
we  agree  on  is  niggahs! 

GEORGIE. 
My. 

Do  you  ? 

NOYES. 

And  yet,  this  afte'noon,  when  you  an'  Phil  were 
out  drivin',  and  I'd  gone  through  the  attic  fo' 
those  papahs  I'm  lookin'  fo',  I  came  out  heah 
where  Mis'  Byrd  was  settin'  an'  cussed  the  niggahs 
good's  I  could!  I  hadn't  hardly  begun,  b'fo' 
I  found  —  well,  I  was  a-talkin'  to  myself! 

GEORGIE. 
Trying  to  be  tactful. 

Mothah  is  — a  little  difficult  with  people  she 
doesn't  know  well.  She's  apt  to  carry  old  preju 
dices. 


14  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  i 

NOYES. 

What's  that? 

GEORGIE. 

You  know  we  used  to  own  RiveView  ovah  theah 
befo'  we  moved  in  town,  —  the  Jennings'  place, 
just  next  to  PhiPs.  So  mothah  has  naturally 
had  the  old  Morrow  point  of  view  —  about  — 

She  stops,  undecided. 

NOYES. 

'Bout  the  Noyes  side  o'  the  family?  I  reckon  I 
understand. 

He  smiles  grimly. 

GEORGIE. 
Hastily. 

Of  co'se  that's  all  ovah  now.  You  and  Phil  are 
good  friends,  aren't  you?  You  weren't  foolish 
enough  to  keep  up  that  feud,  simply  because  yo' 
f  athah  — 

She  hesitates. 

NOYES. 

My  f  athah?  Yes,  he  gave  way  t'  his  comme'cial 
ambition  by  sellin'  powdah  an'  bullets  t'  the 


ACT  i]  THE   NIGGER  15 

Union  —  way  back  in  '62.  That  got  him  into 
a  bunch  o'  trouble,  but  it  wasn't  what  sta'ted  the 
—  slight  fam'ly  coolness! 

GEORGIE. 
Wasn't  it?    Why,  I  always  hea'd — 

NOYES. 

No,  it  came  befo'  that.  My  gran'fathah  an' 
Phil's  —  they  were  brothahs-in-law,  you  know  — 
they  began  it  in  the  fo'ties. 

GEORGIE. 
Why? 

NOYES. 
Grimly. 

I  reckon  the  Morrows  are  tryin'  now  t'  keep  it 
da'k.  But  Lawd!  — I  don't  mind  tellin'.  It's 
the  old  thing  —  both  losin'  theah  heads  ovah  the 
same  woman. 

GEORGIE. 

Innocently. 

How  romantic!    Phil's  gran'mothah? 

NOYES. 
After  a  pause. 

No  —  niggah  woman. 


1 6  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  i 

GEORGIE. 

In  a  low  voice,  turning  away. 
Oh  —  I  didn't  —  realize  — 

NOYES. 
Clearing  his  throat. 

Phil's  gran'fathah  —  he  won  out.  An'  that's 
the  kick  that  sta'ted  the  Noyes  fam'ly  a-rollin'  t' 
pe'dition. 

GEORGIE. 

With  difficulty. 

But  mos'  people  are  willing  to  fo'get  —  at  least 
they  ought  to  be. 

NOYES. 
Dryly. 

Some  ain't  killed  'emselves  tryin'.  Howevah, 
on  lookin'  ahead  I  saw  Phil  an'  I  might  be  in  a 
position  t'  help  each  othah,  so  we  agreed  t'  sink 
it.  I  —  I  wish  yo'  mothah  would  follow  Phil, 
Miss  Byrd.  I  ce'tainly  do  wish  that! 

GEORGIE. 

She's  old-fashioned  —  oh,  hopelessly  so !  —  in 
things  the  world  now  considers  —  trivial. 


ACT  i]  THE  NIGGER  17 

NOYES. 

Looking  at  his  hands. 

Such  as  —  trade  ? 

i 

GEORGIE. 

Gently. 

That's  one  of  them. 

NOYES.  * 

Ain't  I  as  well  bawn  as  Phil  ?  We  come  from  the 
same  stock.  Why  only  this  afte'noon  I  found  the 
papahs  up  in  the  attic  that'll  make  me  a  Son  o' 
the  Revolution!  How's  that? 

GEORGIE. 

Hailing  the  interruption. 

Oh,  you  did  get  them,  then?  Phil  said  he  knew 
they  were  theah,  if  you  hunted  long  enough  in 
those  old  trunks! 

NOYES. 
Yes,  I  got  'em. 

He  suddenly  becomes  preoccupied. 

GEORGIE. 
Easily. 

Phil  and  I  meant  to  be  home  early  enough  to  help 
you,  and  then  the  thunde'-sto'm  came  up,  and  you 


i8  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  i 

see  we  had  to  wait  ovah  at  Jake  Willis's  fa'm  till 
it  cleared  off.  Really,  I  was  awfully  sorry  — 
rummaging  round  in  attics  is  such  fun  —  you 
nevah  can  tell  what  you'll  find! 

NOYES. 
Who  is  looking  down. 

That's  so/ 

GEORGIE. 
Running  on. 

And  I  thought  it  nevah  would  stop  raining. 
Mamie  Willis  —  she's  the  youngest  daughtah, 
you  know,  a  right  sweet  little  thing!  did  her 
best  to  entertain  me  while  Phil  and  her  fathah 
talked  about  the  negro  question,  of  co'se.  She 
gave  me  new  recipes  fo'  brandied  peaches  and 
pickled  wate'melon,  and  I  explained  the  latest 
thing  in  skirts.  It  was  mighty  nice! 

NOYES. 
Miss  Byrd. 

GEORGIE. 
On  her  guard. 

Well? 


ACT  i]  THE   NIGGER  19 

NOYES. 

I  didn't  come  out  heah  t'  have  you  tell  me  'bout 
pickled  watermelons.  I  got  somethin'  to  tell  you ! 
I  came  out  from  the  city  t'-day  on  purpose  to 
do  it. 

GEORGIE. 

Seeing  we  sail  fo'  Europe  on  Thu'sday,  you  took 
—  well,  the  last  train,  didn't  you  ? 

NOYES. 
Wiping  his  forehead. 

Miss  Byrd  —  it's  this  way.  I've  met  you  —  off 
an'  on  —  heah  at  Phil's  an'  in  the  city  —  fo'  nigh 
onto  f o'  yeahs  —  an'  —  well  — 

GEORGIE. 
Leaning  forward  and  speaking  kindly. 

Please  don't  go  on,  Mr.  Noyes.  I  —  I  wouldn't 
have  come  out  if  I'd  realized  you  meant  to  —  I'm 
sorry,  but  it's  no  use. 

NOYES. 
You  know  what  I  want  ? 

GEORGIE. 
You  were  going  to  ask  me  —  to  — 


20  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  i 

NOYES. 

Marry  me.    That's  it! 

GEORGIE. 
Thank  you,  but  —  I'm  afraid  it's  quite  impossible. 

NOYES. 
I  don't  see  why. 

GEORGIE. 

Firmly. 

Absolutely  impossible,  Mr.  Noyes.    I  think  I'll  — 
She  half  rises. 

NOYES. 
Commandingly. 

No  —  wait!    What  hey  you  got  against  me? 

GEORGIE. 
I?    Nothing  —  of  co'se  — 

NOYES. 
Why  don'  you  like  me? 

GEORGIE. 
I  do  like  you. 


ACT  i]  THE  NIGGER  21 

NOYES. 

Then  why  won'  you  marry  me?  I'd  make  you 
a  right  good  husband,  I  reckon,  if  you  was  to  take 
me  in  hand. 

GEORGIE. 
I'm  afraid  I  can't  — 

She  again  tries  to  rise. 

NOYES. 

Firmly  and  calmly. 

I've  made  a  fair  proposition  an'  if  you  tu'n  it 
down,  I  reckon  you'll  give  yo'  reasons.  That's 
business ! 

GEORGIE. 
Oh  —  business ! 

NOYES. 
Good  business  —  that  is. 

GEORGIE. 
Amused. 

If  it's  a  mattah  of  business,  then,  and  as  I  —  like 
you,  I  don't  see  any  reason  af tah  all  why  I  shouldn't. 

NOYES. 
Go  ahead. 


22  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  i 

GEORGIE. 

Well,  fo'  one  thing,  I  shouldn't  care  to  feel  that  my 
husband  made  his  money  in  whiskey. 

NOYES. 
Why  not?    It's  honest,  ain't  it? 

GEORGIE. 

Pe'fectly  so.  Oh,  I'm  merely  prejudiced  —  that's 
all.  But  you  insisted  on  reasons. 

NOYES. 
Grimly. 

Any  mo'  ?  Go  on !  ...  Give  me  a  chance  to 
know  why  I  don't  toe  the  mahk. 

GEORGIE. 

I  know  you've  wuhked  ha'd,  been  mighty  busy 
all  yo'  life.  I  know  you  can't  be  blamed  —  fo' 
missing  a  great  deal  that  — 

NOYES. 
Well? 

GEORGIE. 

That  counts  a  lot  to  any  girl  brought  up  as  I've 
been. 

There  is  a  little  pause. 


ACT  i]  THE  NIGGER  23 

NOYES. 

I  s'pose  you  mean  I'm  not  yo'  idea  of  a  gentleman. 
There  is  another  slight  pause. 
Well,  I'm  not.     I  ain't  had  time. 

GEORGIE. 

Uncomfortably. 

Now  don't  make  it  ha'd  fo'  me,  Mr.  Noyes. 

NOYES. 

So  you  don'  like  the  Noyes  Distillery  Wuhks  — 
eh?  Not  high-toned  enough  to  suit  yo'  aris 
tocratic  raisin'? 

He  rises  and  walks  about. 

GEORGIE. 

Apologetically. 

You  know  the  old  feeling  down  heah  —  surely 
you've  met  it! 

NOYES. 
With  a  short  laugh. 

Oh,  I've  met  it  all  right ! 
Facing  her. 

Miss  Geo'gie  —  I  s'pose  I  can  call  you  that,  can't 
I,  aftah  you've  tu'ned  me  down? 


24  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  i 

GEORGIE. 

Not  looking  at  him. 

Please  go  on. 

NOYES. 

Miss  Geo'gie,  I  started  in  at  ten  yeahs  old,  with 
nothin'  at  all  —  'cep'  my  fathah's  debts.  I  had 
t'  wuhk  —  an*  wuhk  mighty  ha'd,  I  can  tell  you, 
t'  keep  alive ! 

GEORGIE. 
I  know,  Mr.  Noyes,  I  know. 

NOYES. 

I  didn't  bothah  t'  get  much  b'yond  a  livin'.  I 
said  to  myself,  "  What  you  want  now  is  a  bank 
account !  The  polishin'  can  wait ! "  Unde'stan'  ? 

GEORGIE. 
Uncomfortably. 

I  think  so. 

NOYES. 

Well,  I  looked  round  fo'  a  good  beginnin'  —  a 
demand  that  was  goin'  t'  last.  It  didn't  take  me 
long  t'  see  the  wo' Id  needs  liquoh  —  an'  ev'ry  bottle 
it  drinks  's  wo'th  money  in  somebody's  pocket ! 


ACT  i]  THE  NIGGER  25 

Why  shouldn't  somebody  be  me?  If  men  '11 
sta've  themselves  an'  all  their  fam'lies  t'  get  a 
drink  —  why,  it  goes  to  prove  that  whiskey  is  a 
prime  investment !  No  dangah  o'  gingah  ale  nor 
sa'sparilla  evah  takin'  its  place! 

GEORGES. 
Absolutely  none ! 

NOYES. 

So  I've  spent  my  life  in  these  heah  distilleries. 
I  take  pride  in  sayin'  they're  mighty  close  t'  bein' 
the  best  in  the  South.  Evah  been  ovah  them  ?  — 
No?  —  Well,  sometime  I'll  take  you.  An'  you 
shouldn't  think  any  the  wuss  o'  me,  Miss  Geo'gie, 
b'cause  I  picked  out  the  mos'  payin'  business  I 
could  fin'  an'  slaved  like  a  niggah  t'  make  it  pay 
mo'! 

GEORGIE. 

Lightly. 

Yo'  the  mode'n  man,  Mr.  Noyes.  You  have  the 
new  wo'ld  on  yo'  side ! 

NOYES. 

I've  had  to  fight  my  way.  /  didn't  step  into  a 
thousan'-acre  cotton  plantation  —  like  Phil  heah 


26  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  i 

—  with  nothin'  t'  do  but  ride  a  boss  round  all 
mawnin'  an'  sign  checks  all  aftahnoon!  If  Phil 
had  started  in  with  nuthin',  d'  you  think  he'd  be 
where  he  is  now?  I  reckon  not! 

GEORGIE. 
Quickly. 

That  isn't  fair  !  Of  co'se  he  would  !  He's  doubled 
his  income  in  fifteen  yeahs  —  he's  made  this  the 
show  place  of  the  State  !  And  he's  got  all  the  rest, 
too  !  Didn't  he  go  to  college  when  he  was  twenty- 
five  and  give  up  his  racing  and  idleness  —  just 
because  he  came  to  realize  the  value  of  an  educa 
tion?  Isn't  he  sheriff  of  this  county?  Isn't 
he  looked  up  to  and  admired  by  every  man  in 
the  State  as  the  best  the  South  can  offer?  If 
you  spent  a  little  mo'  time  followin'  his  - 

She  suddenly  realizes  she  has  been  speaking  too  earnestly, 
and  breaks  offt  looking  away. 

NOYES. 
Softly. 

I  reckon  I  see !  The  only  claim  I  got  on  yo' 
affections,  Miss  Geo'gie,  comes  through  my  bein' 
Phil's  cousin  !  Well,  that's  sho'ly  one  on  me  ! 


ACT  i]  THE   NIGGER  27 

GEORGIE. 
I  think  you  put  it  rathah  disagreeably,  Mr.  Noyes. 

NOYES. 
Phil  — ! 

He  laughs  silently. 

Comin'  young  statesman,  ownah  o'  "Morrow's 
Rest,"  old  type  o'  the  Southern  gen'leman — 
in  sho't  —  the  pu'fect  man!  That  it? 

GEORGIE. 
I  don't  see  anything  to  laugh  at.   < 

NOYES. 
Still  amused. 

O'  co'se  !  —  o'  co'se  !  An'  yet  —  you  know  —  I 
jes'  can't  help  it ! 

GEORGIE. 
If  yo'  tryin'  to  make  fun  of  Phil  — 

She  rises. 

NOYES. 

Rising  and  sobering  down. 

Miss  Geo'gie,  yo'  plum'  right.  I  ain't  the  man  fo' 
you.  P'raps  it  might  hev  tu'ned  out  you  weren't 


28  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  i 

the  gal  fo'  me  !    Well  call  it  square  —  shake  on 

it! 

He  o/ers  his  hand,  which  she,  smiling  a  little,  takes. 

GEORGIE. 
Don't  mention  it,  Mr.  Noyes. 

NOYES. 

I  won't  —  again.  But  theah's  somethin'  else.  I 
came  down  heah  t'-day  t'  kill  two  jack-rabbits 
with  one  shot ! 

GEORGIE. 
Smiling. 

Thanks.    Who's  the  — othah? 

NOYES. 

Phil.  I've  been  sent  out  by  my  frien',  Bill  Wat 
son.  Evah  heah  o'  Bill  Watson? 

GEORGIE. 
Hasn't  he  a  good  deal  to  do  with  politics  ? 

NOYES. 

You  sho'ly  put  it  mild,  Miss  Geo'gie !  He's  our 
Democratic  State  boss,  an',  fust  an'  last,  he  owns 


ACT  i]  THE   NIGGER  29 

the  whole  machine.  Backed  up,  that  is,  by  a  few 
of  us  —  whiskey-sellahs  an'  the  like. 

GEORGIE. 
Yes  —  but  what's  this  got  to  do  with  Phil? 

NOYES. 

We  think  Phil  might  make  a  fairly  acceptable 
nominee  fo'  Gove'noh  in  the  comin'  convention. 

GEORGIE. 
In  delight. 

Gove'noh? 

NOYES. 
If  he  was  interested  —  that  is. 

GEORGIE. 
Oh,  how  —  wonde'ful ! 

NOYES. 

You  see,  Phil's  fam'ly  an'  his  place,  his  wuhk  as 
sheriff  o'  this  county  —  he's  got  a  clean  reco'd, 
an'  that  counts  like  the  devil  nowadays.  He's 
mighty  populah,  is  Phil,  an'  he  hates  niggahs. 
These  are  the  two  points  in  his  f  avah,  Miss  Geo'gie. 


30  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  i 

GEORGIE. 
Have  you  told  him  yet? 

NOYES. 
No,  but  — 

GEORGIE. 

Aflame. 

Wait  heah!    I'll  send  him  out! 
Turning  back,  her  hands  clasped,  and  smiling. 
Oh,  you  are  nice  —  aftah  all ! 
She  runs  up  the  steps  and  into  the  house. 

Noyes,  as  soon  as  she  is  gone,  pulls  his  plug  from  his 
pocket  and  takes  a  bite.  Then,  his  brow  contracting, 
he  walks  back  and  forth  for  a  moment,  chewing. 

Phil  appears  at  the  door;  he  is  a  tall,  dark,  slender 
young  man  of  about  thirty-five,  with  a  well-built,  boyish 
figure.  His  manner  is  full  of  the  old  Southern  charm, 
his  voice  is  usually  a  musical  drawl,  but  he  shows  the 
possibilities  of  fire  beneath.  He  wears  a  dinner 
jacket. 

PHIL. 

You  want  to  see  me  out  heah,  Clif  ? 

At  the  sound  of  his  voice  Noyes  starts  a  little,  then  turns. 


UNIVERSITY 
OF 


ACT  i]  THE   NIGGER  3* 

NOYES. 

Yes.    Theah's  somethin'   I'd  like  to  — 

PHIL. 

Coming  down  the  steps. 

Have  another  cigah  ? 
Offering  him  his  case. 

NOYES. 
Thanks,  I'm  —  othahwise  employed. 

PHIL. 

Shrugging  his  shoulders,  as  he  lights  his  own  cigar. 
Excuse  me  —  I  couldn't  see. 

NOYES. 
Clearing  his  throat. 

Well,  I've  been  given  the  mit  good  an'  ha'd  ! 

PHIL. 
You've  been  —  ? 

NOYES. 

His  thumb  in  the  direction  of  the  house. 

She  did  the  trick  as  easy  as  I'd  kick  a  niggah 

downstairs  ! 


32  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  i 

PHIL. 
Sitting  down. 

ReaUy? 

NO  YES. 
Carelessly. 

I  also  have  a  suspicion  that  she'd  heard  some- 
thin'  — 

Suddenly  facing  Phil. 

You  nevah  told  her  'bout  me  an'  that  mulatto 
gal,  did  you? 

PHIL. 

Annoyed. 

That's  ha'dly  the  thing  I  would  mention  to  a  lady, 
Clif. 

NOYES. 

Well,  I  reckon  she  knew  —  jus'  the  same.    I  could 
feel  it  in  the  air  ! 

PHIL. 

I've  told  you  if  you  did  that  so't  o'  thing  no  white 
woman  would  touch  you  with  a  ten-ya'd  pole  ! 

NOYES. 

Savagely. 

Gettin'  pa'ticulah,  are  they?    Well,  they  didn't 


ACT  i]  THE   NIGGER  33 

seem  t'  mind  back  theah  when  the  yallah  gals 
lived  undah  the  same  roof  with  'em ! 

PHIL. 

|  They  do  now,  though.  All  of  us  mind  —  or 
ought  to.  By  God,  Clif,  it's  a  crime  —  it's  de- 
mo'alizin'  the  South  !  Things  have  changed  some 
since  the  wah,  an'  if  we  want  t'  keep  our  blood 
clean,  we've  got  to  know  that  white's  white  an' 
black's  black  —  an'  mixin'  'em's  damnation  ! 

NOYES. 

Sneeringly. 

Oh,  I  know  yo'  pu'fect ! 
He  reflects,  then  laughs  harshly. 

But  that's  mo'  than  yo'  family  was !  I  don'  see 
why  a  Morrow  need  stick  up  his  nose  at  me  ! 

PHIL. 
Hotly. 

It  was  different  befo'  the  wah  —  an'  anyway  that's 
old  women's  gossip  about  my  gran'fathah.  Not 
a  wo'd  o'  truth  in  it ! 

NOYES. 

Why,  it  was  the  talk  o'  the,  county  fo'  twenty-five 
yeahs  !  Only  this  afte'noon,  when  I  was  huntin' 


34  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  i 

fo'  the  Revolutionary  papahs,  I  ran  across  a  lettah 
written  to  yo'  precious  ancestor!  by  a  niggah 
woman,  —  the  same  one,  I  reckon,  that  bust  up 
our  fam'ly ! 

PHIL. 

Coldly. 

When  I  told  you  you  could  look  ovah  those  old 
trunks,  I  didn't  expect  you  — 

He  stops. 

But  I  reckon  it's  my  own  fault ! 

NOYES. 
Impatiently. 

Oh,  hell !  Why,  it  was  written  way  back  in  the 
fo'ties  !  Cha'min'  little  souvenir  —  eh  ?  Evah 
been  through  those  ol'  trunks? 

PHIL. 
No. 

NOYES. 

It  might  have  been  wo'th  yo'  while,  Phil,  my  boy: 
it  might  have  been  wo'th  yo'  while ! 

He  chuckles  to  himself. 

Now  don't  you  get  uppish  'bout  me  an'  my  habits 


ACT  i]  THE   NIGGER  35 

—  jes'  remembah  yo'  deah  ol'  gran'fathah  an' 
choke  it  off !  Unde'stan'  ? 

He  chuckles  again. 

PHIL. 
Angrily. 

Damn  it,  he's  in  his  grave  these  sixty  yeahs ! 
Whatevah  he  did,  it's  all  ovah  now  —  and  that's  an 
end  to  it ! 

NOYES. 

Oh  —  not  necessarily  ! 

PHIL. 
Of  co'se  it  is  ! 

NOYES. 

Sitting  down  carefully,  as  a  large  man  does. 

I  always  think  these  heah  ga'den  chairs  's  goin' 

t'  collapse  when  I  —  theah  I  am  ! 

Resuming  the  subject. 

You  know  the  results  of  yo'  po'  ol'  gran'fathah' s 
foolishness  might  be  —  on  deck  now  ? 

PHIL. 
Results? 

NOYES. 
Chuckling. 

Haven't  discovered  any  —  dahk  relations  any 
wheres  about,  hev  you,  Phil? 


36  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  i 

PHIL. 

After  a  brief  pause. 

What  a  filthy  mind  you  have,  Clif ! 
With  emphasis. 

Now  well  drop  the  subject  —  understand?  I'm 
tired  of  it ! 

NOYES. 

Jes'  as  you  say,  Phil,  —  Oh,  one  thing  mo' !  What 
so't  of  a  woman  was  yo'  gran'mothah? 

PHIL. 

How  should  I  know?  She  died  when  my  fathah 
was  bawn. 

NOYES. 

Oh,  she  died  when  yo'  fathah  was  bawn,  did  she  ? 
Well,  wasn't  that  too  bad ! 

PHIL. 

Her  portrait's  in  the  dining-room  —  ovah  the 
fireplace,  jus'  next  to  gran'fathah.  Why  the  devil 
are  you  asking  all  these  questions? 

NOYES. 

No  thin'.     Jes'  natural  int'rest  in  fam'ly  hist'ry. 

That's  all,  Phil. 

Leaning  back  in  his  chair,  his  thumbs  in  his  waistcoat. 


ACT  i]  THE   NIGGER  37 

Well,  Miss  Geo'gie  ce'tainly  tu'ned  me  down 
ha'd,  an'  I  got  an  idea  — 

He  pauses. 

PHIL. 
Bored. 

Is  this  all  you  want  to  see  me  about  ? 

NOYES. 
Continuing. 

That  she's  really  waitin'  fo'  some  one  else  t'  step 
up  an'  take  a  chance. 

He  studies  a  diamond  solitaire. 

PHIL. 

Coldly,  after  a  brief  pause. 

Let's  get  down  to  business,  Clif ,  —  if  theah  is  any. 
I  think  Miss  Byrd  said  that  — 

NOYES. 

Bringing  down  his  chair  and  suddenly  assuming  his 
regular  business  manner. 

All  right  —  I'm  with  you.  In  the  September 
convention  we  want  t'  run  you  fo'  Gove'noh. 
How  about  it? 


38  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  i 

PHIL. 

Taking  out  his  cigar  and  leaning  forward. 
Me? 

NOYES. 

Yes,  you.  Now  listen.  De  Voy's  goin'  t'  put 
up  Thomas  R.  Long  on  a  prohibition  platfo'm 
an'  — 

PHIL. 

Amazed. 

Senatoh  Long  fo'  Gove'noh?  The  man  that  has 
da'kies  at  his  dinnah-table  ?  Why,  you  don't 
mean  "The  White  Niggah"? 

NOYES. 

That's  him  !  But  he  ain't  got  the  ghost  of  a  show  ! 
-  you  know  't  's  well  's  me.  He's  a  renegade  to 
dirty  Republicanism  —  on  ev'ry  question  of  im- 
po'tance  he  flies  in  his  pa'ty's  face  !  Why,  suh, 
at  heart  he's  a  regulah  Abe  Lincoln ! 

PHIL. 

Eighty  per  cent  Prohibitionist  —  twenty  per  cent 
Socialist  —  you  accuse  him  of  Republicanism  — 
and  he  calls  himself  a  Democrat !  Good  Lawd  ! 


ACT  i]  THE   NIGGER  39 

NOYES. 

Evah  seen  the  oF  skunk  ? 

PHIL. 

Smiling- 

Not  yet. 

NOYES. 
Congratulations ! 

PHIL. 

"The  White  Niggah!"  How  in  God's  name  is 
he  going  to  get  the  nomination? 

NOYES. 

He's  got  it.  Hypnotized  De  Voy,  I  reckon  !  An' 
then  he's  backed  up  by  Carter  an'  Wells.  They 
mus'  be  crazy !  But  this  State's  gettin'  tired  o' 
po'  white  trash  fo'  gove'nohs  —  doodle-blowers 
like  this  heah  Long !  The  people  think  they're 
as  good  as  the  man  on  top,  which  ain't  a  healthy 
nor  a  natural  feelin'.  What  they  want  is  one  o' 
the  ol'-timahs,  so  they  can  say,  "Well,  aftah  all, 
he's  a  gen'leman!" 

PHIL. 

Will  Long  keep  up  his  prohibition  platfo'm  — 
niggah  vote  —  and  all  that  rot  ? 


40  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  i 

NOYES. 

Chuckling. 

He  ce'tainly  will !  An'  that's  where  we  got  him. 
Ev'ry  one's  wise  to  how  you  feel  on  the  niggah 
question  —  Lawd  knows  you've  written  and  talked 
enough ! 

PHIL. 
But-— 

NOYES. 

Yo'  the  very  man  we're  aftah  to  carry  this  con 
vention  with  a  whoop  !  I  own  the  la'gest  Demo 
cratic  newspapah  in  the  State,  an'  it'll  back  you 
good.  Why,  I  reckon  the  Courant  could  elect  a 
ten-months-old  baby  !  Billy  Watson's  wild  to  get 
you  —  he  an'  I  are  stuck  tight  fo'  a  lot  o'  reasons, 
prohibition's  the  biggest  —  an'  togethah  we  can 
fai'ly  promise  you  the  office.  Oh,  it'll  be  a  walk 
away.!  How's  that? 

PHIL. 
Hold  on ! 

Curiously. 

Seems  like  yo'  mighty  keen  to  run  me  in.  Yo' 
not  the  man  who  does  somethin'  fo'  nothin',  Clif. 
What's  yo'  little  game  ? 


ACT  i]  THE  NIGGER  41 

NOYES. 

Frankly. 

I'll  be  straight  with  you,  Phil.  If  by  any  chance 
Long  should  get  in  an'  this  State  go  dry  —  well, 
that  would  be  the  end  o'  me  an'  the  Noyes  Distil 
lery  Wuhks.  When  I  think  o'  the  yeahs  I  spent  — 
(he  clinches  his  hands  with  terrible  determination)  it's 
so't  o'  plain,  ain't  it? 

PHIL. 
Nodding. 

Of  co'se. 

NOYES. 

But  yo'  not  a  prohibitionist,  thank  God  an'  yo' 
ability  to  make  a  julep ! 

PHIL. 

Guardedly. 

I've  always  believed  that  ev'ry  man  should  be 
able  to  drink  what  he  wants  — 

NOYES. 
So  we're  safe  with  you  ! 


42  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  i 

PHIL. 
Sternly. 

Clif ,  this  sounds  to  me  mighty  like  a  — 

NOYES. 
WeU,  Phil? 

PHIL. 
Firmly. 

A  bribe.  Now  you  ought  by  this  time  to  know 
I'm  not  the  kind  of  man  to  — 

NOYES. 

Come  down  —  come  down !  Are  we  tryin'  to 
make  a  swap  with  you  ?  Are  we  goin'  t'  hold  you 
down  t'  anythin'  at  all  ?  Not  a  damn  bit  of  it ! 
We  know  you  an'  we  rely  on  yo'  good  sense. 
That's  all.  Now  does  that  sound  like  bribin'  an' 
graftin'  ?  'Cause  if  it  does,  I  want  to  know ! 

PHIL. 
Still  rather  sternly. 

It's  perfectly  true,  I  don't  believe  in  prohibition, 
but  if  I  did,  I  - 

NOYES. 
Soothingly. 

O'  co'se  you  don't !  Yo'  a  right-minded  man, 
Phil,  so  you  jes'  naturally  can't ! 


ACT  i]  THE   NIGGER  43 

PHIL. 

Quietly. 

And  while  I'm  good  to  my  niggahs  —  I  reckon 
that's  a  well-known  fact,  too !  —  I  don't  think 
they  ought  to  have  the  franchise  and  I  won't 
treat  'em  as  equals. 

NOYES. 

Sho'  you  won't !  An'  the  niggahs  need  drink  t' 
make  'em  know  their  place.  If  they  couldn't 
spen'  their  wages  in  liquoh,  d'you  think  they'd 
keep  on  wukhin'  ?  Not  much  !  An'  then  where  'd 
we  be? 

PHIL. 

Smiling  in  spite  of  himself. 

That's  yo'  own  way  of  putting  it,  Clif. 

NOYES. 
Rising. 

Well,  then,  can  I  'phone  a  wire  to  Billy  Watson, 
sayin'  the  ol'  State's  goin'  t'  get  the  man  she  needs  ? 

PHIL. 

Rising. 

I  wondah  if  I  ought  to ! 
He  is  deeply  moved. 


44  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  i 

GEORGIE. 

Appearing  at  the  door  of  the  house  and  standing  at  the 
head  of  the  steps. 

Have  you  told  him,  Mr.  Noyes?  I  couldn't 
wait  — ! 

NOYES. 
Oh,  he's  on,  but  — 

GEORGIE. 
Running  down  the  steps  joyously. 

Oh,  Phil,  I'm  so  delighted !  I  wish  we  weren't 
going  to  Europe  —  it  would  be  so  —  so  exciting 
to  stay  heah  and  watch  you  fight !  Isn't  it 
splendid  ? 

PHIL. 
Looking  at  her. 

Do  you  really  want  me  to  run  —  very  much? 

GEORGIE. 
Amazed. 

Want  you  —  ?  Why,  Phil,  there  isn't  any  ques 
tion,  is  there —  ? 

Seizing  his  arm. 

You  must  —  oh,  you  must! 


ACT  i]  THE  NIGGER  45 

PHIL. 

With  a  little  smile  and  bow. 
Since  you  insist ! 
Turning  to  Noyes. 

Very  well,  Clif,  I'm  yo'  man.  Go  in  and  wire 
Watson  anything  you  like. 

NOYES. 

Seizing  his  hand  and  shaking  it  effusively,  one  hand 
on  his  shoulder. 

That  certainly  sounds  good  —  I  knew  you'd  see 
it  in  the  right  way !  I  knew  you'd  come  up  to 
scratch  in  a  mattah  o'  duty !  You  always  did, 
Phil,  I  remembah  that!  Congratulations  —  eh, 
Miss  Geo'gie  ? 

GEORGIE. 

Delighted. 

Hundreds  of  them  —  oh,  Phil ! 

X    ' 

NOYES. 

If  you'll  excuse  me,  I  think  I'll  get  off  that  wire 
right  now.     You  see  Billy  Watson  has  too  many 
shares  o'  my  stock  not  t'  feel  ne'vous  on  an  oc 
casion  like  this  ! 
He  goes  up  the  steps. 


46  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  i 

PHIL. 

Calling  after  him,  simply. 
Thank  you,  Clif . 

NOYES. 
Turning. 

What's  that? 

Going  on. 

Oh,  I  didn't  do  it  —  you 've  got  yo'self  to  thank  ! 

He  opens  the  door  and  goes  inside. 

GEORGIE. 

With  an  impulsive  little  shake  of  joy. 
Yo'  Excellency !  —  Oh,  it's  too  good  to  be  true  I 

PHIL. 

With  a  smile. 

It  isn't  true  —  yet.    Won't  you  sit  down? 
He  offers  her  the  bench. 

GEORGIE. 

No,  but  it  will  be  !  And  I'll  be  so  glad,  when  I'm 
in  Europe,  to  think  of  you  ovah  heah,  wuhking 
fo'  yo'  home  and  yo'  State  —  fo'  the  South  !  It's 


ACT  i]  THE   NIGGER  47 

my  idea  of  what  a  man  should  do !  —  I  —  I 
reckon  it's  every  So'the'n  girl's  ! 

She  smiles  at  him  with  sudden  shyness  and  sits  down. 
i 
PHIL. 

But  you'll  be  back  b'fo'  long  —  won't  you? 

GEORGIE. 

I  don't  know.  Mothah  want's  mo'  and  mo'  to 
stay  away  quite  a  time.  You  see  she  misses  not 
having  Rive'view  —  that  tiny  city  house  isn't 
neah  so  comf'table.  It's  so't  o'  ha'd  on  rich 
people  all  of  a  sudden  to  be  po' ! 

She  sighs,  then  looks  up  at  him  with  a  bright  little  smile. 

Little  mothah  has  an  idea  I'm  a  second  Melba ! 
It'll  take  some  time  to  prove  to  her  all  I  can  do 
is  to  amuse  people  aftah  dinnah! 

PHIL. 

What  was  that  you  sang  while  I  was  in  the  othah 
room? 

GEORGIE. 

That  ?  Oh,  one  of  the  old  German  stand-bys  — 
the  wo'ds  are  rather  attractive  —  I  wondah  if  you 
were  listening  —  but  of  co'se  you  weren't. 


48  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  i 

PHIL. 
How  do  you  know  ? 

GEORGIE. 
Hesitating  a  trifle,  and  then  smiling. 

Yo'  getting  to  be  such  a  great  man,  there's  no 
room  left  f  o'  —  the  little  things  — 

PHIL. 
What  do  yo'  mean  by  —  little  things? 

GEORGIE. 
Not  looking  up  at  him. 

Oh,  my  songs  —  and  me.  —  How  stupidly  we're 
talking ! 

PHIL. 

Laughing  softly  and  tenderly. 

Yo'  an'  yo'  songs  !  —  Say,  Geo'gie  ! 

GEORGIE. 
Yes? 

PHIL. 
Sitting  down  beside  her. 

We  used  to  have  fun  when  you  lived  at  Rive'view, 
didn't  we?    'Membah  the  time  we  rode  ovah  to 


ACT  i]  THE  NIGGER  49 

the  Willis  fa'm  and  stole  a  chicken  and  boiled  it 
in  the  old  bait-can  with  river  watah?  My,  but 
how  yo'  mothah  gave  it  to  me  when  she  found 
out  —  ! 

GEORGIE. 
I  nevah  told  her,  anyway  ! 

PHIL. 

She  expected  a  lot  from  me,  just  b'cause  I  was  so 
much  oldah ! 

Laughing  softly  and  sweetly  to  himself. 
Lawd !  I  don't  know  as  she  got  it ! 

GEORGIE. 

I  was  so  —  flatte'd  at  having  a  big  boy  like  you 
to  go  around  with  —  why,  I  think  I'd  have  done 
anything  you  told  me  to,  no  mattah  what  it  was  ! 
And  you  used  to  bully  me !  Implicit,  servile 
obedience  was  the  one  rule  on  which  you  insisted  ! 

PHIL. 

'Membah  the  time  you  come  heah  aftah  yo'  first 
yeah  at  school?  It  was  June,  then,  and  the 
magnolias  were  bloomin'  late  that  summah,  too. 
I  sat  out  heah  on  this  identical  bench  while  you 


50  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  i 

were  inside  singin'  —  and  I  realized  fo'  the  first 
time  that  you'd  grown  up !  My,  that  was  an 
awfully  funny  feeling ! 

He  smiles  half  tenderly. 

GEORGEE. 

And  I  was  so  frightened  of  you  —  you  can't  im 
agine!  I  tried  to  call  you  "Mr.  Morrow"  ! 

PHIL. 

D'  you  remembah  the  day  I  ran  the  qua'tah  in  the 
meet  with  Yale,  and  you  came  up  to  Boston  from 
Dobbs  Ferry  just  to  see  it? 

GEORGEE. 

I  ce'tainly  do !  It  was  yo'  last  Va'sity  race  — 
senior  yeah. 

PHIL. 

And  I  came  in  from  Cambridge  to  yo'  hotel  the 
mawnin'  of  the  meet? 

GEORGEE. 

Smiling. 

Yes  —  and  I  was  so  proud  of  you,  and  the  othah 
girls  kept  peeking  in  at  us  from  behind  the  por 
tieres  until  I  closed  the  doors  ! 


ACT  i]  THE  NIGGER.  51 

PHIL. 
And  you  wore  some  white  roses  — 

GEORGIE. 

Interrupting. 

You'd  sent  them  to  me  that  very  mawning.  Don't 
say  you've  fo'gotten ! 

PHIL. 
And  you  gave  me  one  fo'  my  buttonhole. 

GEORGEE. 
Did  I? 

PHIL. 

"Don't  say  you've  fo'gotten!"  And  d'  you  re- 
membah  what  you  told  me  as  you  put  it  on? 

GEORGIE. 
It  —  it  was  so  long  ago  ! 

PHIL. 

/  remembah  ev'ry  wo'd.  "Yo'  going  to  win  fo' 
the  South  and  fo'  me.  I  couldn't  beah  to  see  you 
beaten!" 


52  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  i 

GEORGIE. 
Laughing  a  bit. 

I  was  an  awfully  silly  girl !    but  —  (glancing  up 
at  him)  you  did  win  ! 

PHIL. 
I  know. 

He  takes  out  his  pocket-book  in  a  business-like  manner 
and  removes  from  it  carefully  something  which  he  holds 
in  the  palm  of  his  hand. 

Theah's  the  rose. 

GEORGIE. 
Wheah? 

She  leans  over  to  see  it. 

The  same  one? 

He  nods. 

YouVe  carried  it  all  these  yeahs? 

He  nods  again. 

And  you  nevah  told  me?    You  foolish  boy,  how 
deah  of  you ! 

Her  voice  suddenly  trembles. 

PHIL. 

I've   got   anothah   race   on   now   and  —  (lightly) 
please  may  I  have  anothah  rose? 


ACT  i]  THE   NIGGER  53 

GEORGIE. 
Of  co'se  you  may  !    Wait  — 

She  rises  and  goes  quickly  over  to  where  the  rose-bushes 
bloom  along  the  edge  of  the  driveway.  Bending  over, 
she  selects  one  and  breaks  it  of,  then  returns,  trimming 
its  leaves. 

Theah ! 

He  rises  and  she  tries  to  find  his  buttonhole. 

Oh,  you  haven't  a  buttonhole  !    Nevah  mind,  I'll 
just  put  a  pin  in. 

She  busies  herself  with  attaching  it  to  his  lapel. 

PHIL. 
After  a  little  pause. 

Aren't  you  going  to  say  it  ? 

GEORGIE. 
Suddenly. 

Ouch! 

Sucking  her  finger  and  going  on  with  her  work. 

JSay  what  ? 

PHIL. 
yolai  know ! 


54  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  i 

GEORGIE. 

Smiling  and  bending  her  head  a  little. 
If  you  think  it'll  help? 

PHIL. 

Simply. 

It  did  bef o'  —  a  heap  ! 

GEORGIE. 

Her  work  finished,  holding  him  by  the  lapels  and  looking 
straight  up  at  him. 

Yo'  going  to  win  ! 

PHIL. 
Well?    Goon. 

GEORGIE. 
Isn't  that  all  ? 

PHIL. 

No. 

GEORGIE. 
Dropping  her  hands  and  lowering  her  gaze. 

What  was  the  rest  of  that  silliness?  Oh,  yes-- 
"Fo'  the  South  and  me.  I  —  I  couldn't  beah/to 
see  you  beaten !" 


ACT  i]  THE   NIGGER  55 

She  has  unconsciously  thrown  into  the  last  words  more 
sincerity  than  she  intended.  Then  suddenly,  feeling 
herself  Hushing,  she  puts  one  hand  to  her  face  and 
tries  to  turn  away. 

PHIL. 
Georgie ! 

GEORGIE. 

I  stayed  that  time  and  saw  you  win.    I  wish  — 
I  wish  I  could  do  it  again ! 

He  suddenly  draws  her  to  him,  one  of  his  hands  holding 
hers,  one  arm  about  her,  her  head  bent  low. 

PHIL. 
Almost  in  a  whisper. 

My  da'ling  !    My  honey  ! 

There  is  a  brief  pause.     Then  still  very  low. 

You  know  I  love  you  ? 

GEORGIE. 

Her  head  still  bowed,  her  voice  as  quiet  as  his. 
Yes  —  now  I  know. 

PHIL. 
And  what  about  you  ? 


56  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  i 

GEORGIE. 

Lifting  her  head  slowly,  her  eyes  filled  with  tears,  a  trem 
bling  little  smile  on  her  lips. 

Haven't  you  seen  it  —  in  all  these  yeahs  ? 
She  buries  her  face  on  his  shoulder. 

PHIL. 
Whispering,  in  wonder. 

Why  —  Geo'gie  ! 
There  is  a  brief  pause. 

GEORGIE. 

Drawing  away  from  him  and  wiping  her  eyes  with  her 
one  free  hand,  as  she  smiles. 

You  make  love  so  beautifully,  Phil  deah  —  nobody 
else  has  evah  done  it  qua'tah  as  well !  There's 
something  about  you  —  I  don't  know  what  — 
I've  felt  it  all  my  life  — Oh  — ! 

He  draws  her  to  him  again. 

PHIL. 

Laughing  softly. 

And  I  nevah  knew ! 

He  kisses  her  again  and  again.  As  he  does  so  the 
regular  beat  of  a  horse's  hoofs,  galloping,  is  heard 
coming  frvm  left-back,  down  the  drive. 


ACT  i]  THE   NIGGER  57 

Hark  — ! 

(He  lifts  his  head,  and,  still  holding  her  in  his  arms,  listens 
intently  for  a  moment.  The  hoof  beats  are  drawing 
nearer. 

GEORGIE. 
What's  that? 

PHIL. 

Releasing  her  and  walking  back,  towards  driveway. 
I  don't  know.     Some  one  fo'  me,  I  reckon. 

By  this  time  the  hoof  beats  are  close  at  hand,  and  the 
sound  of  a  snorting  horse,  the  stamping  of  feet,  and 
the  rider's  voice  are  heard. 

PHIL. 

Calling. 

Who  is  it? 

PURDY. 

Outside,  heard  dismounting. 
Whoa-up  there  —  stop  that ! 
Calling  back. 

It's  me,  suh  —  Pu'dy.     Kin  I  hitch  my  mare  to 
this  tree  ? 


58  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  i 

PHIL. 
Sho'ly. 

Coming  back  to  where  the  girl  is  listening. 

He's  my  deputy  sheriff.  Something's  happened. 
P'raps  you'd  better  go  inside,  honey. 

GEORGIE. 

Of  co'se  —  but  —  Phil,  you'll  let  me  know  if  it's 
anything  serious? 
£ 

PHIL. 

'Deed  I  shall.  Now  just  step  in  to  yo'  mother 
and  don't  say  that  Pu'dy's  come.  Maybe  it's 
nothing  at  all  —  just  an  evening  visit. 

He  takes  her  hand  and  lets  her  go  at  the  steps. 

GEORGIE. 
Turning  back  at  the  top. 

Oh,  Phil,  shall  I  tell  mothah  about  —  (smiling) 
you  know  ? 

PHIL. 

S'pose  we  wait  till  we  both  can  tell  her,  honey. 
Don't  you  think  that  would  be  bettah? 


ACT  i]  THE   NIGGER  59 

GEORGIE. 
Of  co'se. 

She  goes  towards  the  door. 

PHIL. 
Geo'gie ! 

GEORGIE. 
Turning. 

Yes? 

PHIL. 

Calling  softly. 

Think  of  all  the  time  I've  wasted ! 

GEORGIE. 
But  it's  nowhere  neah  too  late ! 

PHIL. 

Calling  again. 

Geo'gie ! 

GEORGIE. 

A  gain  turning  back. 

Yes,  deah? 

PHIL. 

Don't  fo'get  I  —  like  you  mighty  well ! 


60  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  i 

GEORGIE. 
You  silly  boy  —  ! 

She  blows  him  a  kiss  and  disappears  into  the  house. 

PHIL. 

Going  down  the  drive  a  bit. 
Now,  what's  the  mattah,  Pu'dy? 

PURDY. 

Emerging  from  the  shrubbery  which  conceals  the  driveway. 
It's  a  niggah,  suh,  —  the  usual  crime. 

PHIL. 
Clinching  his  hands. 

The  first  time  I've  run  against  it !    Oh,  that's  too 
bad! 

PURDY. 

A  thick-set,  bearded  man,  dressed  in  the  slouchy  manner 
of  the  Southern  farmer. 

Whew !  I  reckon  I  came  up  from  the  jail  'n  less 
*n  fo'  minutes  ! 

He  wipes  his  forehead. 

PHIL. 
Come  ovah  heah  and  sit  down.    Want  a  drink? 


ACT    i]  THE   NIGGER  61 

PURDY. 

Following  him. 

No,  suh.     I'll  be  all  right  in  a  jiffy. 
He  drops  into  a  chair. 

PHIL. 

Between  his  teeth. 

Who's  the  girl? 

PURDY. 

Panting. 

Jake  Willis's  —  youngest  —  da'ter  — 

PHIL. 

Horrified. 

Jake  Willis  —  Mamie  ?  Why,  I  saw  her  only  this 
afte'noon.  When  did  it  — 

PURDY. 

She  went  ovah  to  Buckram's  t'  buy  some  meal 
b'fo'  they  closed.  It's  through  the  woods  from 
the  Willis  place. 

A  brief  pause. 

Well,  it  was  in  theah  he  got  her. 

PHIL. 
Is  she  —  alive  ? 


62  THE  NIGGER  [AC*  i 

PURDY. 

Dr.  Rumsey  says  he  don'  know  whetheh  she'll  live 
or  not,  suh. 

PHIL. 
And  Jake  ? 

PURDY. 

Plum'  crazy,  suh  !  You'd  nevah  know  he  was  the 
same  man.  Jake's  always  been  a  peaceful  sort 
o'  citizen,  but  now  —  you  wait  till  you  see  him, 
suh! 

PHIL. 

Quickly. 

Has  he  done  anything  ? 

PURDY. 
He's  tryin'  to. 

PHIL. 

Quickly. 

He  told  me  this  afte'noon  he  was  dead  against 
lynching ! 

PURDY. 
Rising. 

I  reckon  he's  changed  his  mind,  then.  All  I 
know,  suh,  is  that  Jake's  got  togethah  a  crowd  o' 


ACT  i]  THE   NIGGER  63 

all  the  men  round  heah,  an'  they're  aftah  that 
niggah  with  Sho'ty  McCabe's  dawgs. 

PHIL. 
Why  didn't  you  let  me  know  b'fo'  ? 

PURDY. 

# 

I  was  out  havin'  suppah,  suh.  I  lef  wo'd  at  the 
jail,  same's  I  always  do,  t'  ring  you  up  case  any- 
thin'  happened. 

PHIL. 
They  haven't  done  it. 

PURDY. 

Mebby  they  ain't  found  out  yet.  I  come  heah  's 
straight 's  my  mare  could  go,  suh. 

PHIL. 

You  did  yo'  best  —  I  know.  The  niggah's  on  the 
run,  then?  Pu'dy,  we've  got  to  get  him  b'fo' 
they  do  !  I  won't  have  my  county  and  my  office 
disgraced  by  a  lynchin' ! 

PURDY. 
I  reckon,  suh,  we're  goin'  t'  have  a  ha'd  time ! 


64  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  i 

PHIL. 

It  must  be  one  o'  the  chain-gang  broke  loose  from 
Bake'sville  !  A  stray  niggah  —  damn  him  !  —  he's 
spoiled  my  reco'd ! 

PURDY. 

Slowly. 

No,  suh,  he  ain't  one  o'  them.  Jake's  gal,  she 
spotted  him. 

PHIL. 

Turning. 

What  d'you  mean  ? 

PURDY. 
She  —  knew  him. 

PHIL. 
Who  is  he? 

PURDY. 

I'm  right  sorry,  suh,  but  —  well,  he's  one  o'  yo' 
tenants. 

PHIL. 
One  o'  my  — 

PURDY. 

It's  that  young  buck  niggah,  Joe  White  —  yo' 
mammy  Jinny's  gran'son.  He'd  been  drinkin' 


ACT  i]  THE  NIGGER  65 

down  t'  the  saloon  all  aftahnoon.  You  know  he 
got  his  wages  yestahday.  They  threw  him  out 
down  theah  'bout  six  o'clock,  an'  the  devil  was  in 
him! 

PHIL. 
Is  she  —  sho'? 

PlIRDY. 

She  tol'  her  fathah  his  name  an'  what  direction 
he'd  took  b'fo'  she  went  —  unconscious  — 

PHIL. 

Purdy,  we  must  find  that  niggah  b'fo'  the  mob 
runs  him  down.  We  must  get  him  to  the  jail  and 
keep  him  theah  if  we  have  to  shoot  every  man  in 
the  county  ! 

PTIRDY. 

If  you'll  take  my  advice,  suh,  we  won'  do  any 
sech  thing. 

PHIL. 

Fiercely. 

They'll  lynch  him  in  a  minute  ! 

PURDY. 

They'll  do  that,  suh,  with  or  without  us.  Listen 
to  reason,  suh !  We've  got  three  wa'dens  at  a 


66  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  i 

ramshackle  jail  that  would  fall  in  if  you  looked 
at  it  twice.  It  would  take  all  night  t'  get  help 
from  Bake'sville  —  the  las'  train's  gone.  An'  the' 
are  ovah  three  hundred  dete'mined  fathahs  an' 
brothahs  helpin'  Jake  run  down  that  scoundrel. 
Even  if  we  had  the  son-of-a-gun  in  jail,  d'you 
think  we  could  keep  him  theah  five  minutes  ?  An' 
we  don'  know  where  he  is  any  mo'  'n  they  do. 
We  can't  do  our  duty,  suh,  so  I  should  considah 
we  was  free  t'  jes'  sit  back  an'  watch. 

PHIL. 
Theah  must  be  something  — 

PURDY. 

§  If  you'll  pa'don  me,  Mistah  Phil,  I'm  an  oldah 
han'  at  this  game  than  you.  An'  the  time  comes 
when  even  the  bes'  sheriff  —  which  you  ce'tainly 
are,  suh  !  —  has  t'  f oP  his  han's  an'  do  nothin' 
at  all ! 

PHIL. 

Suddenly. 

We  must  get  some  dogs  ourselves  and  — 

PURDY. 
Theah  ain't  none  within  fifty  miles  'cept  Sho'ty's. 


ACT  i]  THE    NIGGER  67 

NOYES. 

Opening  the  door  of  the  house  and  coming  down  the  steps 
quickly. 

Phil,  theah's  been  a  telephone  from  the  jail  an'  — 

PHIL. 

I  know.  Mr.  Pu'dy  heah  is  my  deputy  sheriff. 
I've  hea'd  all  about  it. 

Mrs.  Byrd  —  a  small,  commonplace-looking  woman, 
dressed  simply  in  black,  and  with  an  autocratic  manner 
born  of  long  command  in  petty  a/airs  —  comes  down 
the  steps  hastily,  followed  by  Georgie. 

MRS.  BYRD. 

Imperiously. 

Phil! 

PHIL. 

Yes,  Mrs.  Byrd,  I  know  all  about  it  and  — 

MRS.  BYRD. 

Remembah  yo'  yo'  fathah's  son !  Shut  yoj  eyes 
as  tight  as  they'll  go  and  just  pray  the  Lo'd  to 
keep  you  from  makin'  a  fool  of  yo'self ! 

GEORGIE. 
Mothah ! 


or  THE 
UNIVERSITY 


68  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  i 

MRS.  BYRD. 

Very  firmly. 

I  That  negro's  goin'  to  be  lynched !  Now  don't 
a'gue  !  When  I  say  a  thing  I  mean  it !  If  wo'st 
comes  to  wo'st  I'll  walk  right  out  and  do  it  myself  ! 

PHIL. 

That  negro's  not  a-goin'  to  be  lynched,  Mrs.  Byrd. 
I'm  going  to  find  him  if  I  possibly  can  and  give 

him  every  protection  the  law  provides ! 

• 

MRS.  BYRD. 

I  always  knew  that  boy  would  come  to  a  bad  end  ! 
He  never  could  look  me  in  the  eye  fo'  mo'  'n  two 
minutes  at  a  time  !  An'  it's  yo'  own  fault,  Phil. 

PHIL. 
Biting  his  lips. 

Indeed  ? 

MRS.  BYRD. 

You  treat  'em  like  yo'  own  family !  I've  said  so 
fo'  yeahs.  It  is  just  as  yo'  po',  deah  fathah 
used  t'  say,  "The  only  way  to  make  a  negro 
straight  is  to  knock  him  down!" 


ACT  i]  THE   NIGGER  69 

GEORGIE. 
Distressed. 

Please,  mothah ! 

MRS.  BYRD. 

Turning  to  her. 

All  right,  Geo'gie,  all  right !  If  you  an'  Phil  can 
feel  secuah  with  a  big,  murderin'  gorilla  skippin' 
loose  ovah  the  country,  I  have  nothin'  mo'  to  say  ! 
Give  him  a  gold  medal  an'  tell  him  to  do  it  again  ! 

She  stands,  indignant  and  resigned. 

% 

NOYES. 

Close  to  Phil. 

j 

The  luck's  on  our  side,  fo'  sho' !  You'll  get  out 
of  this  business  with  clean  han's  an'  yo'  won't 
lose  the  anti-niggah  vote.  Why,  if  you  was  to 
stick  up  fo'  this  black  devil  now  —  well,  yo' 
chances  in  the  convention  would  take  a  conside'- 
able  drop  !  Remembah  that,  oP  man  ! 

PHIL. 

Summarily. 

Quit  yo'  talkin',  Clif. 

To  Georgie. 

Geo'gie,  would  you  min'  telling  Simms  to  send 


70  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  i 

down  to  mammy's  cabin?  I  want  to  see  her 
right  off.  If  anybody  knows  wheah  Joe  is,  she's 
the  one. 

GEORGIE. 
Yes,  Phil. 

Breaking  out  as  she  turns  to  the  steps. 

Oh,  that  po'  girl !    And  I  talked  to  her  only  this  — 

She  closes  her  lips  with  an  effort. 

PHIL. 
Gently. 

I  know,  deah,  I  know.  Now  the  message  to 
mammy,  please. 

She  goes  up  the  steps  and  into  the  house. 
Turning  next  to  Purdy. 

Pu'dy,  you  ride  back  to  the  jail  —  as  ha'd  as  yo' 
mare  can  go  !  —  and  do  what  you  can  to  make 
the  cellah-room  safe.  Knock  off  the  bolts  from 
an  empty  cell  and  put  them  on  that  door. 

PURDY. 
Resignedly. 

I'll  do  it,  suh,  but  'tain't  much  use. 


ACT  i]  THE  NIGGER  71 

PHIL. 

Sternly. 

We're  going  to  do  everything  we  can  to  save  that 
niggah  fo'  the  law !  Unde'stand,  Pu'dy  ? 

PURDY. 

Yes,  suh. 

PHIL. 

Stay  at  the  jail  till  I  telephone  you.  Be  ready 
to  leave  at  a  moment's  notice  with  two  wa'dens. 
We  may  get  him  yet.  That's  all. 

PURDY. 
Yes,  suh. 

He  goes  o/  and  later  can  be  heard  galloping  away. 

PHIL. 
To  Mrs.  Byrd. 

Mrs.  Byrd,  theah's  ha'd  wuhk  ahead  fo'  some  of 
us,  but  I  trust  it  won't  inte'feah  with  yo'  sleepin' 
as  well  as  usual.  You  will  fin'  some  o'  my  bes' 
strawberries  in  yo'  room  and  I  have  sent  up  the 
novel  you  were  asking  fo'.  Now  if  you  will  kindly 
take  my  a'm,  we'll  say  good  night  at  the  stairs. 
He  escorts  her  up  the  steps  and  into  the  house. 


72  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  I 

Noyes  gives  a  short  laugh,  and,  putting  a  cigar  in  his 
mouth,  goes  over  to  the  table  under  the  live-oak  tree  to 
get  a  match  before  following  them.  He  lights  his  cigar, 
then  turns  towards  the  steps.  Just  as  he  has  reached 
them  — 

Jinny  appears  from  the  left-back,  coming  along  the  drive 
way.  She  is  trembling  and  tottering,  evidently  under 
the  influence  of  excitement  and  terror.  As  she  sees 

his  back  she  hurries  and  calls  him  softly. 

» 

JINNY. 
Marse  Phil !  —  Marse  Phil ! 

NOYES. 
Turning. 

That  you,  mammy? 

He  suddenly  comes  closer  to  her. 

Did  you  get  Mr.  Morrow's  message?    It  strikes 
me  you've  been  powerful  quick ! 

JINNY. 

'Scuse  me,  suh,  I  done  think  it  wuz  Marse  Phil  — 
's  gettin'  so  dahk. 

By  this  time  the  moonlight  is  beginning  to  appear. 


ACT  i]  THE  NIGGER  73 

NOYES. 

Why  do  you  want  to  see  Marse  Phil  ? 
He  is  gazing  at  her  closely. 

JINNY. 

With  a  gasp. 

My  Joe  —  he's  done  it ! 

NOYES. 
Quickly. 

How  d'you  know? 

JINNY. 

En'  Marse  Phil  gwine  t'  keep  him  f'om  bein' 
kotched  — 

NOYES. 

How  can  he?    He  don't  know  where  Joe  is. 

JINNY. 
He  —  he  done  come  —  wif  me  — 

NOYES. 
In  intense  surprise. 

What? 


74  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  i 

JINNY. 

Pointing  tremblingly  to  the  shrubbery  about  the  drive. 
He's  dar  —  on  his  ban's  en'  •  knees  —  a-waitin'  — 

NOYES. 
Then  he  came  home  ? 

JINNY. 

With  a  touch  of  wildness. 

Back  to  his  oF  mammy,  suh  !    En'  dey're  a-chasin' 

him  wif  dawgs ! 

NOYES. 

'Co'se  they  are.     An'  what's  mo'  —  they 'ah  a- 
goin'  to  get  him  ! 

JINNY. 

No,  sah  —  no,  no,  —  Marse  Phil  gwine  t'  keep 
him  f'om  bein'  kotched  ! 

NOYES. 
Harshly. 

He  can't,  I  tell  you.  He  has  only  fo'  men  at 
the  jail.  Even  if  he  got  yo'  boy  into  it  —  which 
I  don't  believe  he  could  —  they'd  bust  it  open 
inside  a  minute ! 

JINNY. 

With  an  hysterical  wail. 
What  kin  Joe  do,  suh  ?    What  kin  he  do  ? 


ACT  i]  THE  NIGGER  75 

NOYES. 

Let  him  make  a  run  into  the  country  —  across  the 
rivah  —  catch  on  a  train  —  anythin'  —  but  f  o' 
God's  sake  don't  let  him  hang  round  heah ! 

JINNY. 

Shrilly. 

De  dawgs  —  dey'll  kotch  him  fo'  shoj !  Dey're 
gettin'  him  now  —  I  hear  'em  in  mah  cabin  — 
he  can't  go  nowheres,  suh  — 

NOYES. 

Shrugging  his  shoulders  and  glancing  apprehensively 
at  the  house. 

Well,  he  did  it,  an'  I  reckon  he  might's  well  pay 
sooner  's  lateh !  That's  all,  mammy. 

JINNY. 

After  a  brief  pause,  clasping  her  old  hands  spasmodically. 
Nobody  dast  hunt  fo'  him  in  Marse  Phil's  house  — 

NOYES. 
What's  that? 

JINNY. 
Marse  Phil  mus'  take  him  in  de  house  — 

NOYES. 
Savagely. 

He  won't  do  it  —  he  don't  dare  — 


76  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  i 

JINNY. 
With  an  odd  intensity. 

He  gotteh  do  it  —  'kaze  —  'kaze  — 

She  stops  suddenly  to  find  him  very  near  her,  staring 
at  her  face  in  the  brightening  moonlight.  The  words 
die  away  from  her  lips  as  she  looks  at  him.  From 
far  away,  in  the  silence,  can  be  heard  the  faint  sound 
of  men's  voices,  and,  now  and  again,  the  long,  clear 
baying  of  the  hounds. 

Dar !  —  Yo'    heah    dem?  -  -  O    Gohd  — 

NOYES. 

Suddenly  seizing  her  arm,  jerking  out  his  words  between 
his  teeth. 

You  know  —  you  know  —  ! 

JINNY. 

Facing  him  with  a  new  terror. 

What  yo'  say? 

NOYES. 

Yo'  -  -  her  sistah  —  ol'  Morrow's  Belle  —  his  quad 
roon  gal  —  don't  you  deny  it  now  ! 

JINNY. 

With  a  screech. 

What  dat  yo'  say  ? 


ACT  i]  THE   NIGGER  77 

NOYES. 

I  found  it  in  a  lettah  she  wrote  to  him  —  an'  you 
know  !  I  reckon  we're  the  only  two  people  in  the 
wo'ld  who  know ! 

JINNY. 

I  swar  t'  Gohd  I  dunno  nuffin' — yo*  sho' 
mistook,  suh  — 

NOYES. 
Don't  you  keep  on  lyin'  t'  me  — 

JINNY. 

Flinging  up  her  head. 

'Scuse  me,  suh,  I  dunno  what  yo'  talkin'  'bout ! 
No,  I  dunno  nuffin'  —  w'erefo'  you  come  heah 
en  ask  me  ef  I  know  — 

NOYES. 
His  teeth  closed. 

You  tell  me  the  truth,  you  oF  black  devil,  or 
I'll  — 

He  gives  her  arm  a  savage  twist. 
She  cries  aloud. 
Phil  appears  at  door. 


78  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  i 

JINNY. 

As  she  sees  him. 

Marse  Phil  - 

Noyes  releases  her  with  a  savage  laugh  and  turns  away 
to  relight  his  cigar. 

Noise  of  dogs  louder. 

PHIL. 
As  he  hurries  down  the  steps. 

Theah  you  are,  mammy !  I've  been  waiting  fo' 
you.  Do  you  know  anything  about  Joe  —  do 
you  know  where  he  is? 

JINNY. 

Clasping  her  hands. 

Marse  Phil  - 

PHIL. 
Quickly. 

Where  is  he,  mammy,  fo'  Heaven's  sake? 

JINNY. 

Pointing  shakily  to  the  bushes. 

Dar- 

PHIL. 

Heah  —  in  the  ga'den  ? 


ACT  i]  THE   NIGGER  79 

JINNY. 

He's  a-hidin'  dar  —  I  done  mak'  him  come  wif 
me,  Marse  Phil.    I  — 

PHIL. 

Call  him  out,  mammy  —  quick  —  !     We  haven't 
got  a  moment ! 

JINNY. 

Going  shakily  towards  the  driveway. 

Joe! 

There  is  a  pause.    Then,  in  a  louder  tone. 

Joe  —  come  out  fum  dar  —  ! 

There  is  another  pause;  then,  slowly  and  silently,  the 
negro  crawls  from  a  gap  in  the  shrubbery.  He  is  a 
huge,  very  black  young  African,  his  lips  gray  with 
terror,  the  whites  of  his  eyes  rolling.  He  is  still  panting 
and  exhausted.  His  miserable  clothing  is  torn  and 
muddy.  He  does  not  try  to  rise,  but  crouches  down 
near  the  driveway,  his  head  bent  —  a  horrible  picture 
of  bestial  fear. 

PHIL. 

With  a  glance  of  disgust. 

Get  up. 


8o  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  i 

JINNY. 

With  sudden  passion. 

Marse  Phil,  yo'  gwine  t'  keep  him  heah  —  in  yo' 
own  house  !  Ef  yo'  don'  dey'll  kotch  him  —  an' 
den  — O  Marse  Phil  —  ! 

PHIL. 
To  Joe. 

If  you  expect  me  to  help  you  —  I  want  the  truth  ! 

Did  you  do  it? 

The  noise  of  the  posse  grows  clearer. 

JOE. 

Moving  his  lips  for  a  moment,  then  speaking  in  a  thick 
voice. 

Boss  —  I  — 

PHIL. 
Sternly. 

The  truth  — I  tell  you  — 

JOE. 
Hoarsely. 

I  reckon  —  I  —  I  done  it. 

JINNY. 

O  Marse  Phil  —  don'  - 
Her  voice  dies  away  in  abject  whimperings. 


ACT  i]  THE  NIGGER  81 

PHIL. 

Turning  away  with  a  gesture  of  loathing. 
You  black  beast,  you  —  ! 

JINNY. 

Flinging  herself  on  her  knees  before  him,  clinging  to 
his  hand. 

Yo'  not  gwine  t'  sen'  him  away?  Not  gwine  t' 
let  him  be  kotched?  No  —  no  —  yo'  not  —  my 
Marse  Phil  ain't  gwine  do  dat ! 

PHIL. 

Gently. 

Wait,  mammy. 

He  tries  to  unloosen  her  hold. 

JINNY. 

Hysterically. 

Keep  him  heah  —  jes'  fo'  me  —  I  couldn't  b'ar  it, 
Marse  Phil  —  yo'  gwine  t'  —  keep  — 

NOYES. 
Who  has  been  listening  and  who  now  comes  up  quickly 

to  Phil. 

He's  confessed  it  now.  Phil,  if  you  sheltah  this 
Gawd-blasted  niggah  in  yo'  home,  —  it'll  be  yo' 
political  ruin,  —  you  can  nevah  live  it  down  —  ! 


82  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  i 

PHIL. 


To  NoyeSj  blazing. 

Damn  it,  I'm  not  thinking  of  politics  at  a  time  like 
this! 

The  noise  of  the  men  and  hounds  suddenly  dies  away. 

Wait  —  !    They've  lost  the  trail  ! 

To  Joe. 

Did  you  cross  the  stream  down  by  the  live-oaks  ? 

JOE. 
Yessah.    B'fo'  I  come  up  to  de  cabin. 

PHIL. 

They  may  lose  it  fo'  good.  'Tisn't  likely  you'd  be 
heah.  Anyway  this  gives  us  a  little  time. 

NOYES. 
Earnestly. 

'Phone  fo'  the  wa'dens  an'  Pu'dy  t'  come  up  by 
the  back  road  an'  take  him  down  t'  the  jail.  They 
only  need  five  minutes. 

A  slight  pause. 

Phil,  if  you  won't  think  o'  yo'  own  career,  fo'  God's 
sake  think  o'  the  rest  of  us  ! 


ACT  i]  THE  NIGGER  83 

PHIL. 

Calmly. 

To  jail  ?  That's  simply  handing  him  ovah  to  the 
mob !  What  good  are  five  men  against  three 
hundred?  I  won't  do  it! 

GEORGIE. 

Appearing  from  the  house  at  the  top  of  the  steps. 

Phil,  what's  all  that  noise?  Mothah's  getting 
quite  ne'vous,  and  Simms  says  that  — 

PHIL. 

Go  back,  Geo'gie,  an'  keep  yo'  mothah  inside. 
Tell  her  not  to  worry. 

GEORGIE. 
It  isn't - 

She  suddenly  sees  Joe  and  understands. 

Oh,  deah  — ! 

She  gives  a  little  gasp  and  goes  inside  immediately. 

NOYES. 
Close  to  Phil  and  with  great  intensity. 

Let  the  di'ty  animal  loose  in  the  house  with  her  ? 
Oh,  Phil—! 


84 


NIGGER 
PHIL. 


[ACT  i 


Suddenly  throwing  up  his  head. 

I  Clif,  go  and  telephone  fo'  Pu'dy  an'  the  wa'dens. 
We'll  make  a  run  fo'  the  jail.  It's  —  it's  the  only 
thing  I  can  do ! 


NOYES. 


Suddenly ,  as  he  turns. 
Listen ! 


There  is  a  triumphant  roar  from  the  mob  far  down  the 
plantation,  and  the  baying  of  the  dogs  is  renewed, 
loud  and  eager. 

We're    too    late  — !     They've    picked    up    the 
scent ! 

He  runs  up  the  steps  and  into  the  house.  At  the  sound, 
the  unhappy  negro  has  given  a  low  howl  of  despair. 
Then,  whining  and  grovelling  and  twitching  in  an 
ecstasy  of  terror,  he  crouches  behind  Phil  —  who, 
pale  and  calm,  stands  at  the  foot  of  the  steps,  facing 
the  driveway  (left). 

Jinny  stands  with  her  hands  over  her  ears  to  keep  out 
the  sound,  her  eyes  shut,  her  lips  mumbling  to  herself 
in  prayer. 


ACT  i]  THE  NIGGER  85 

JINNY. 

Flinging  her  old  face  up  to  the  sky,  her  eyes  still  shut. 
O  Gohd  — 0  Gohd  — O  Gohd  — 
She  sways  backward  and  forward  gently. 

PHIL. 

Never  taking  his  eyes  off  the  driveway. 
Be  quiet,  mammy ! 

He  takes  out  his  revolver,  sees  that  it  is  loaded,  cocks  it, 
and  then,  holding  it  in  his  right  hand,  again  calmly 
faces  the  approaching  sound. 

Meanwhile  the  noise  has  been  growing  rapidly  from  left- 
back,  as  the  mob  sweeps  up  the  driveway.  The 
hounds  are  yelping,  whining,  every  now  and  then 
breaking  into  a  long,  deep  bay  —  the  men  are  shouting. 
As  it  all  grows  nearer  the  individual  voices  are  heard, 
especially  one,  hard  and  dry,  which  is  raised  in  short 
commands.  Finally,  with  a  burst  from  the  dogs, 
the  red  light  of  the  torches  begins  to  flicker  through 
the  trees  (left-back),  casting  long,  smoky  shadows  along 
the  drive. 

JAKE  WILLIS. 
Outside. 

Heah !    Don'   you   come   no   nearah !    I   reckon 
the  sheriff's  got  him ! 


86  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  i 

A  MAN'S  VOICE. 
Thick  with  drink. 

Damn  the  niggah  —  well  bu'n  him  alive  —  what 
'bout  it,  boys? 

There  is  a  chorus  of  angry  shouts. 

JAKE. 
Commandingly. 

Get  back  theah,  Tom  Melledge  —  yo'  drunk  an' 
I  don'  need  yo'  assistance  jes'  at  present !  Be 
still  —  hold  in  them  dawgs,  I  say ! 

ANOTHER  MAN'S  VOICE. 

Go  ahead,  Jake,  we'll  wait  heah  fo'  you  nice  an' 
quiet. 

JAKE. 

An'  don'  'low  them  dawgs  t'  move  an  inch 
fu'theh!  —  Down,  suh,  down! 

There  is  a  chorus  of  yelps  from  the  excited  hounds,  a 
crack  of  a  whip,  and  a  renewed  howl.  Finally  the 
noise  dies  away  suddenly  into  an  ominous  silence  — 
broken  only  by  an  occasional  whine  or  the  shuffle  of 
impatient  feet  —  as  Jake  Willis,  illuminated  by  the 
red  gleam  of  the  moVs  torches,  appears  on  the  driveway 
through  the  trees.  He  is  a  tall,  thin,  straight  man  of 


ACT  i]  THE  NIGGER  87 

about  fifty.  He  is  bareheaded,  dressed  in  flannel  shirt 
and  trousers,  and  his  high  boots  are  spattered  with 
mud.  Over  his  left  arm  hangs  a  long  coil  of  rope. 
His  face  is  pale  and  set  —  a  distorted,  livid  mask. 
He  stops  as  he  sees  Phil  and  the  crouching  negro 
behind  him.  For  a  moment  there  is  a  silence. 

PHIL. 

Calmly. 

Good  evenin',  Jake. 

JAKE. 

In  an  expressionless  voice. 
Evening  suh. 

PHIL. 
What  can  I  do  fo'  you  t'night? 

JAKE. 
I  reckon,  suh,  you'll  have  to  hand  him  ovah. 

PHIL. 
Who? 

JAKE. 

That  niggah  —  back  o'  you. 


88  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  i 

PHIL. 
Steps  forward  impulsively,  his  voice  showing  his  emotion. 

Jake,  I  can  understand  down  to  the  bottom  what 
you  want  to  do  and  why.  And  it's  human 
nature  —  I  know  that !  But,  fo'  God's  sake, 
try  to  jam  down  yo'  feelin's  fo'  a  moment  and 
think!  Remembah  what  you  said  only  this 
afte'noon  when  we  were  talking  ovah  this  very 
thing  —  "lynching,"  you  toF  me,  "is  next  wo'st 
to  the  crime  itself  ! " 

JAKE. 

Immovable. 

You'd  bettah  hand  him  ovah,  suh. 

PHIL. 

S'pose  I  did.  As  sho'  as  theah's  a  judgment  above 
us,  Jake,  you  and  I  would  give  our  souls  not  t' 
have  done  it  in  less'n  a  month ! 

JAKE. 
You  needn't  bothah  yo'  haid  no  mo'  'bout  me,  suh. 

PHIL. 

Jake,  don't  go  back  on  me  !  You  know  my  office 
— you  know  I've  got  only  fo'  men  t'  help  me  do 


ACT  i]  THE  NIGGER  89 

the  right  thing,  and  you've  got  three  hundred  t' 
help  you  do  the  wrong  !  If  yo'  on  my  side,  Jake, 
we  can  manage  'em !  You  call  it  off  with  yo' 
frien's  and  let  me  get  this  niggah  safe  in  jail  and 
I'll  promise  you  on  my  wo'd  of  honah  as  a  Morrow 
the  quickest  trial  in  the  hist'ry  o'  this  county ! 

JAKE. 
We  want  him  now,  suh. 

PHIL. 

I've  known  you  all  my  life,  Jake,  and  my  fathah 
b'fo'  me !  Can't  you  trust  me  this  once  ? 

JAKE. 

Mebbe  you  don't  know,  Mistah  Phil,  that  my  gal 
—  my  li'le  Mamie  —  she's  jes'  —  died  — 

His  voice  chokes  oddly.    He  cannot  go  on. 

PHIL 

With  a  cry  of  horror  and  sympathy. 
Jake !    Oh  —  !    Yo'  po'  man  —  ! 
The  negro  has  buried  his  face  in  the  ground. 


go  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  i 

JAKE. 

Controlling  himself  and  speaking  in  the  same  dry  voice 
as  before,  as  he  shifts  the  coil  of  rope  a  bit. 

I  reckon,  suh,  you'd  bettah  hand  him  ovah  right 
away.  I  don'  like  t'  keep  the  boys  a-waitin'. 

PHIL. 
Desperately. 

Isn't  theah  anything  I  can  say,  Jake,  that'll  change 
yo'  mind  —  that'll  bring  you  to  yo'  senses  ? 

JAKE. 
Nuthin',  suh. 

PHIL. 

Decisively. 

Theah's  not  a  man  in  the  State  —  I  don'  care  who 
he  is !  —  that  could  feel  a  deepah  horroh  and  dis 
gust  fo'  such  a  crime  and  such  a  criminal  than  I ! 
But  —  (with  tremendous  intensity  as  he  steps  forward) 
—  you  and  yo'  men  out  theah  have  elected  me 
sheriff  o'  this  county  to  uphold  the  law,  and  now, 
by  God !  you  can't  stop  me  doin'  it ! 

JAKE. 

In  the  same  inflexible  voice. 
It's  gettin'  right  late,  suh,  you'd  bettah  hand  him 


ACT  i]  THE  NIGGER  91 

ovah  b'fo'  theah's  any  trouble.    You  nevah  can 
tell  what  may  happen. 

Meanwhile  an  ominous  murmur  at  the  delay  has  risen 
from  the  driveway  —  deep  and  angry. 

A  MAN'S  VOICE. 
Say,  Jake,  is  he  theah  ? 
The  dogs  begin  yelping  again. 
Come  back  heah,  suh  ! 

There  is  the  lash  of  the  whip  and  one  dog  gives  a  loud 
howl  of  pain. 

Just  here  Noyes  comes  out  from  the  house,  followed  by 
Purdy  and  two  wardens. 

NOYES. 

As  he  comes  down  the  steps. 
All  right,  Phil.    Pu'dy's  heah. 

PHIL. 
Not  looking  round. 

Handcuff  Joe. 

JAKE. 
Yo'  not  goin'  t'  oblige  us,  suh? 


92  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  i 

PHIL. 
Grimly. 

Not  this  time,  Jake. 

The  wardens  have  pulled  Joe  to  a  kneeling  position  and 
are  snapping  on  the  handcuffs. 

Jake  has  turned  quickly  away  and  walked  down  the 
driveway  to  the  shrubbery.  Here  he  stands  for  a 
moment,  the  red  torchlight  falling  upon  his  figure 
as  he  faces  the  mob,  his  back  to  Phil  and  the  house. 

JAKE. 
His  voice  raised. 

The  niggah's  heah,  but  the  sheriff  don'  feel  jes' 
like  givin'  him  up.  Pu'dy  an7  his  wa'dens  hev 
come  an'  I  reckon  they're  a-tryin'  t'  take  him 
down  t'  the  jail. 

There  is  a  loud  shout,  "  We'll  get  him !  The  jail's  easy  1 
,  They  can't  make  ill"  etc.,  rise  above  the  din. 

Jake  continues  when  silence  again  falls. 

You  men  s'round  the  house  at  a  distance  of  about 
three  hundred  ya'ds  —  down  's  fah's  the  tu'n- 
pike,  an'  cleah  round  by  the  packin'  sheds.  They'h 
ladies  heah  an'  we  don't  want  t'  disturb  them  if 
we  kin  possibly  help  it. 


ACT  i]  THE   NIGGER  93 

PHIL. 

Calling  to  Jake  quickly  and  very  sternly. 
It's  my  duty  to  tell  you,  Jake,  that  my  men  and  I 
are  fully  armed,  and  if  we  are  attacked  on  our  way 
to  the  jail,  we  will  defend  ourselves  rega'dless  o' 
results ! 

JAKE. 

Who  has  listened  quietly  and  attentively. 

I  know  you  mean  right,  Mistah  Phil,  but  I  reckon 
this  is  my  business. 

He  goes  out  quickly  along  the  driveway.  A  moment 
later  his  voice  is  heard  again  raised  in  command. 

JAKE. 
Outside. 

Scattah  now  —  double  quick  !  Geo'ge,  take  fifty 
o'  them  down  along  the  pasture !  I'll  covah  the 
road  — 

His  voice  is  heard  for  a  moment  above  the  renewed,  yelping 
of  the  dogs  and  the  trampling  of  many  feet.  The  noise 
gradually  recedes  —  the  mob  is  disposing  of  itself  in 
an  orderly  and  determined  fashion. 

PHIL. 

Turning  hurriedly  to  his  men  as  the  posse  is  retiring 
and  speaking  low  and  rapidly. 

We'll  go  back  as  you  came,  by  the  stables  through 


94  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  i 

the  paddock,  then  take  the  carriage  drive  to  that 
sho't  cut  across  the  pasture.  It  ought  to  bring 
us  out  beyond  theah  ci'cle,  and  then  a  run  fo' 
the  jail.  We  got  a  chance,  anyway  ! 

To  Purdy. 

Sta't   along  — I'll  follow  you! 

PURDY. 
In  despair. 

'Tain't  the  slightest  use,  suh ! 

PHIL. 

Savagely. 

Go  on,  I  say  ! 

Joe,  who  has  broken  loose  from  the  wardens,  flings 
himself  at  Jinny's  feet  and  now  clings  piteously  to  her 
skirt. 

JOE. 

Mammy  —  Mammy —  !  Don'  you  let  'em  take 
me  —  I'll  be  kotched  f  o'  sho'  —  lemme  stay  heah  — 

PURDY. 
To  his  men. 

Get  him  away  —  quick  !    Damn  his  black  soul ! 

They  pull  him  away,  still  blubbering,  from  the  old 
woman's  skirts. 


ACT  i]  THE   NIGGER  95 

Gag  him  with  some  thin',  Harry. 

While  the  other  two  hold  him,  the  third  crams  his  hand 
kerchief  in  the  negro's  mouth. 

Now  fo'  the  stables  an'  the  paddock ! 

They  yank  Joe  to  his  feet  and,  with  a  man  on  either  sidet 
half  run,  half  drag  him  away  beyond  the  house. 

Phil  turns  hastily  to  follow  them,  but  is  stopped  before 
he  can  reach  them  by  Jinny,  who  twines  herself  around 
his  knees. 

JINNY. 

Shrilly. 

Marse  Phil,  yo'  mus'  keep  him  heah  —  in  yo'  own 
house  —  fo'  Gohd's  sake  — 

PHIL. 

Trying  in  vain  to  shake  her  of. 
Let  go,  mammy,  or  I'll  knock  you  down ! 

JINNY. 

Wildly. 

Listen,  Marse  Phil,  yo'  mus'  keep  him  heah  — 
'kaze  he's  yo'  — 

She  suddenly  stops  short,  as  if  realizing  her  words  for 
the  first  time. 


96  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  i 

NOYES. 

Who,  unnoticed  j  has  come  up  to  her. 
Well,  mammy  ? 

He  puts  a  hand  suddenly  on  her  shoulder.  As  she  hears 
him  and  feels  his  touch,  she  shrinks,  releases  her  hold 
on  Phil,  —  who,  with  a  furious  exclamation,  rushes 
past  her, — then,  with  along  wail,  she  raises  her  withered 
arms  high  above  her  head,  drops  them,  and  stands 
motionless  and  silent,  her  face  turned  toward  the 
sky. 

PHIL. 

To  Noyes,  as  he  rushes  past  Jinny. 
Heah  —  !    Come  on  ! 

NOYES. 

Barring  the  way  with  his  large  body. 
We'h  not  a-goin',  Phil. 

PHIL. 

Too  hurried  to  be  furious. 

Yo'  fool !    They'll  get  away  without  us ! 

He  tries  to  push  by,  but  Noyes  takes  him  by  both  arms 

firmly. 


ACT  i]  THE  NIGGER  97 

NOYES. 
Quietly,  firmly,  and  good-humor edly. 

They'h  bound  to  get  that  niggah  —  they  would 
anyways.    Phil,  I'm  savin'  yo'  nomination! 

PHIL. 
Beside  himself. 

An'  yo'  own  dam'  distille'ies  — !    Let  me  go  ! 
He  tries  frantically  to  pull  himself  from  Noyes1  grasp. 

NOYES. 
Still  quietly. 

I'm  the  strongah  man,  Phil ! 

Phil  makes  a  savage  twist  and  tries  to  throw  Noyes  by 
tripping  him. 

Between  his  teeth. 

No,  you  don't,  mistah ! 

For  a  moment  there  is  a  furious,  silent  struggle. 

PHIL. 

In  the  midst  of  it,  warningly. 
I'll  — shoot  — 


98  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  i 

GEORGIE. 

Appearing  halj  fearfully  at  the  door  and  looking  out, 
then  seeing  the  stage  apparently  empty. 

Mr.  Noyes  —  ? 

At  the  sound  of  her  voice  the  two  men  suddenly  cease 
struggling;  but  they  retain  their  hold  on  one  another. 

NOYES. 
Controlling  his  voice. 

Yes,  Miss  Geo'gie. 

GEORGIE. 
Theah's  a  telegram  f o'  you.    Shall  I  take  it  ? 

NOYES. 

If  you  please,  Miss  Geo'gie. 
She  goes  inside. 

PHIL. 
With  a  sob  in  his  voice. 

Let  go  —  damn  you  —  it's  my  —  honah  — 
There  is  a  renewed  and  furious  struggle  to  break  away. 

After  a  moment  Georgie  reappears  at  the  door,  excited 
and  joyous. 


ACT  i]  THE  NIGGER  99 

GEORGIE. 

Mr.  Noyes,  it's  from  W.  Watson  and  it  says  — 
(reading  from  a  slip  in  her  hand  on  which  she  has  jotted 
down  the  message):  "  Morrow  the  very  man.  Count 
on  la'ge  majo'ity."  Is  Phil  theah  ?  Isn't  it  - 

Just  here,  from  quite  a  distance,  dying  down  and  lost 
amid  a  far-away  roar  of  voices  and  savage  cheers, 
comes  a  long  scream  of  agony  and  terror.  Jinny, 
without  a  sound,  slowly  crumples  away  into  a  shape 
less  heap  on  the  ground. 

NOYES. 

Releasing  Phil  and  wiping  away  the  sweat  from  his  fore 
head  with  a  grim  laugh. 

They  got  him  —  without  no  shootin',  too ! 

PHIL. 

Turning  his  back  to  the  others,  walking  forward  a  few 
steps  unsteadily. 

If  I'd  —  I'd  only  kept  him  heah  —  in  the  house  —  ! 

He  stands  with  bowed  head  and  working  hands,  in  vain 
trying  to  control  himself. 

At  the  cry  Georgie  has  started  violently  and  put  her  hands 
to  her  ears  with  an  instinctive  shudder.  Then,  seeing 


ioo  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  i 

Phil,  she  regains  possession  of  herself  with  a  great 
effort,  and,  coming  down  the  steps,  slowly  approaches 
him  and  puts  her  hand  tenderly  and  rather  timidly 
upon  his  arm. 

He  turns  his  face  away  from  her,  as  if  ashamed. 

GEORGIE. 
Very  sweetly  and  gently. 

Phil  —  you  couldn't  help  it,  deah,  and  —  (with  a 
glance  over  her  shoulder  to  make  sure  that  Jinny  cannot 
hear  her)  —  and,  af tah  all,  you  know,  he's  —  well, 
he's  only  a  negro  —  ! 

He  does  not  answer  nor  turn  his  head.     Noyes  watches 
them  with  a  queer  smile. 

There  is  a  dead  silence,  as  the  curtain  falls  quickly  and 
suddenly. 

END    OF   ACT   I 


ACT  II 


ACT  II 

Governor  Morrow's  study  in  his  city  house,  on  February 
23rd.  It  is  an  attractive  room,  furnished  with  quiet 
luxury.  The  stage  is  triangular  in  shape.  At  right 
is  a  large  double  doorway,  flanked  by  portieres  and 
showing  the  hall  and  balustrade  of  the  stairs  beyond. 
It  has  sliding  doors,  at  present  hidden.  At  left  are  two 
large  windows,  looking  upon  the  street.  The  houses 
opposite  can  be  seen.  In  the  angle  at  back,  where  the 
the  two  walls  meet,  is  a  table  with  magazines,  cigars, 
cigarettes,  whiskey,  siphons,  etc.  To  right,  near  the 
audience,  are  a  huge  leather  easy-chair,  a  small  low 
table  with  matches,  and  another  chair.  All  these  are 
grouped  before  the  fireplace,  in  which  a  fire  is  glowing. 
Between  the  windows  is  a  large  table-desk,  with  chair 
back  of  it.  There  is  another  chair  in  front  of  it,  a 
telephone  on  it,  and  it  is  strewn  with  papers,  letters, 
memoranda,  etc. 

Near  the  window  are  an  official  looking  letter-file  and  a 
small  safe.  The  rest  of  the  wall-space  is  occupied 
with  book-cases  filled  with  a  jumble  of  volumes.  On 
these  cases  are  occasional  busts  of  American  statesmen, 
etchings,  etc. 

103 


io4  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  n 

The  room  is  not  in  perfect  order.  There  are  dispatch 
boxes  on  chairs,  an  overcoat  filing  over  the  desk,  etc. 
It  is  about  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning.  The  sunlight 
comes  through  the  windows.  As  the  curtain  rises  the 
stage  is  empty,  but,  from  far  away  outside,  can  be 
heard  the  dim,  threatening  murmur  of  an  angry  mob. 
Occasionally  an  indistinguishable  roar  or  command 
rises  above  this,  and  there  are  two  or  three  distant 
gunshots,  followed  by  a  renewed  commotion.  Then, 
gradually  growing  nearer,  the  sound  of  a  small  party 
of  drunken  rioters  is  heard  in  the  street  below.  They 
pass,  talking,  laughing,  singing,  occasionally  firing 
of  a  revolver. 

A  MAN'S  VOICE. 
Outside. 

Wheah  '11  them  niggahs  gone? 

ANOTHER. 
'Reckon  we've  finished  'em  up  good  — 

A  THIRD. 

Come  on  ovah  to  Point  Street  —  theah  breakin' 
open  the  bahs  ! 

ANOTHER. 
Ain't  that  a  coon  ? 

He  fires. 


ACT  n]  THE   NIGGER  105 

THE  FIRST. 
Gawd,  no  !    That's  a  tree  ! 

Another  roar  of  laughter.  By  this  time  they  are  directly 
under  the  windows. 

THE  FIRST  MAN. 
Heah's  wheah  the  Gove'noh  lives  — 

ANOTHER. 

We'll  make  a  frien'ly  call  —  he's  a  good  one  all 
right  — 

Enter  Mrs.  Byrd,  very  nervous,  followed  by  Georgie, 
very  calm.  They  are  shown  in  by  Simms.  They  are 
in  street  dress  and  carry  various  parcels.  Simms 
has  a  box,  hastily  done  up  in  paper. 

MRS.  BYRD. 

Quickly. 

Put  it  down,  Simms,  and  close  all  those  blinds  ! 
Theah  just  outside  !    Oh,  deah  —  oh,  deah  -  -  ! 

She  .drops  her  bundles  and  sinks  exhausted  into  the  big 
chair. 

SIMMS. 
Yassum. 

As  he  cautiously  looks  about. 


io6  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  n 

No  dangah  dis  time,  Miss  Sally.  Dey  cain't 
ha'adly  walk  straight ! 

He  closes  the  blinds. 

Meanwhile  the  little  party  of  drunken  rioters  are  moving 
°jf>  stitt  yelling  and  laughing. 

GEORGIE. 

To  Simms. 

Did  Mr.  Barrington  go  out  with  the  Gove'noh? 

SIMMS. 

Yassum,  but  he  done  come  back  'bout  ten  minutes 
ago,  all  by  hisself.  He's  in  de  pantry,  gettin'  some 
col'  ham. 

MRS.  BYRD 

I  think  Phil  might  have  been  heah !  Oh,  what  a 
night ! 

GEORGIE. 
To  Simms. 

You  say  the  Gove'noh  hasn't  been  home  since  the 
riots  sta'ted  yeste'day  afte'noon? 

SIMMS. 

Yassum.  He  went  out  'bout  fo'  o'clock  an'  he 
ain't  come  in  all  night. 


ACT  H]  THE  NIGGER  107 

MRS.  BYRD. 

He  ought  to  have  sent  fo'  us ! 

GEORGIE. 

Deah,  think  of  all  he  had  to  do  ! 
Opening  the  blinds. 
Theah  gone  now  —  it's  all  right. 

MRS.  BYRD. 

Applying  salts. 

All  right  ?  With  the  guns  going  off  like  so  many 
cannon-crackahs  an'  the  groceries  not  delive'ed 
an'  the  pantry-window  broken  in  two  places  an' 
all  the  wash  stolen?  What's  the  good  of  being 
engaged  to  the  Gove'noh  o'  the  State  if  he  can't 
even  keep  yo  mothah's  silk  stockin's  safe  on  the 
clo's-line  ? 

GEORGIE. 

My  deah,  I  love  him  fo'  thinking  of  the  city  fi'st ! 
To  Simms. 

Oh,  Simms,  tell  Mr.  Barrington  we're  heah,  will 
you? 

SIMMS. 
Yes,  Miss  Geo'gie. 

He  shuffles  out. 


io8  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  n 

MRS.  BYRD. 

Oh,  my  head  —  my  head  ! 

Starting  at  the  sound  of  a  distant  gunshot. 

Listen  !    Theah  they  go  again  ! 

GEORGIE. 

Tenderly. 

Deah,  all  the  trouble  is  down  in  the  negro  qua'tah. 
Theah's  no  dangah  up  heah  —  at  least  not  half 
so  much ! 

MRS.  BYRD. 

Dangah!  Why,  didn't  we  have  to  go  round  eight 
blocks  to  avoid  a  mob  —  on  the  way  ovah  ? 

GEORGIE. 

But  it's  all  right  now,  little  mothah !  We're 
here  safe  and  sound  —  and  I  reckon  nobody  '11 
hu't  us  in  the  Gove'noh's  own  house ! 

MRS.  BYRD. 
It'U  be  the  fi'st  place  they'U  attack ! 

GEORGIE. 

Laughing. 

Nonsense !    Phil's    too    populah    fo'    that !    An' 


ACT  n]  THE   NIGGER  109 

anyway,  it's  the  Mayoh  theah  aftah  —  he's  the 
one  that's  put  negroes  on  the  police  fo'ce  - 

Enter  Barrington.  He  is  a  clever  young  man  of  about 
twenty-five,  at  present  unshaven  and  with  his  clothes 
untidy. 

BARRINGTON. 
As  he  enters. 

How  d'you  do  ?  Mrs.  Byrd,  yo'  lookin'  so  young 
t'day  I  came  mighty  neah  callin'  you  by  yo'  fi'st 
name  !  I  tell  you  what,  Miss  Geo'gie,  no  one  but 
you  could  stand  up  an'  hold  yo'  own  alongside  of 
a  mothah  like  that !  Well,  I'm  right  glad  t'  see 
you  both  !  Have  you  jus'  come  ovah  ? 

GEORGIE. 
Shaking  hands. 

Yes;  we  grew  so't  o'  ne'vous,  with  all  that  firing 
an'  — 

MRS.  BYRD. 

If  I'd  dared  leave  the  house  we'd  have  come  last 
night.  But  at  daybreak  I  saw  a  big  black  negro 
hangin'  round  the  back  yawd,  crawlin'  into  the 
ash-cans,  just  a-lickin'  his  lips  an'  layin'  fo'  us, 
so  — 


no  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  n 

GEORGIE. 

Smiling. 

Deah,  he  was  only  trying  to  hide  !  He  was  every 
bit  as  scared  as  you  were ! 

MRS.  BYRD. 

Scared !  You  can't  teach  me !  Don't  I  know  a 
mu'derah  when  I  see  one  ? 

To  Harrington. 

So  I  woke  up  Geo'gie  an'  we  got  togethah  a  few 
things,  an'  — 

GEORGIE. 

We  had  to  walk,  theah  isn't  a  cab  fo'  love  or 
money  — 

MRS.  BYRD. 

So  heah  we  are,  an'  I  feel  like  the  children  o'  Israel 
when  they'd  crossed  the  Red  Sea.  Geo'gie,  if 
you  have  a  pe'fectly  clean  pocket-handke' chief, 
you  might  lend  it  to  me. 

GEORGIE. 

Wheah's  Phil,  Mr.  Barrington  ?  I  had  a  telephone 
message  yeste'day  saying  to  keep  indoors,  but 
since  then  — 


ACT  n]  THE   NIGGER  in 

BARRINGTON. 

We  spent  a  cosey  little  night  down  on  A'senal 
Street.  That's  wheah  the  rumpus  sta'ted,  you 
know.  The  Gove'noh  stopped  off  on  his  way 
back  to  mu'muh  a  few  wo'ds  of  "  Peace  on  ea'th, 
good- will  t'  men"  at  a  mass  meetin'  enter 'tain- 
ment  which  the  Mayoh  is  very  gene'ously  givin' 
in  front  the  City  Hall.  He  sent  me  home  to  have 
two  drinks,  one  sandwich,  put  on  my  high  hat, 
an'  meet  the  troops,  sayin'  as  I  do  so,  "Welcome, 
little  strangahs  !  The  freedom  of  the  city  is  yo's 
—  if  you  can  find  it.  We  can't !" 


MRS.  BYRD. 

The  troops !    Thank    Heaven !    When  do    they 
come? 

BARRINGTON. 

The  5th  Militia  will  arrive  on  its  pe'sonally  con 
ducted  little  pleasure- trip  at  —  let  me  see  —  i.io. 


GEORGIE. 
Is  the  trouble  getting  wo'se  ? 


ii2  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  ir 

BARRINGTON. 

Soberly. 

I'm  afraid  it  is,  Miss  Byrd.  They've  killed  two 
mo'  niggahs  down  by  the  rivah  —  stabbed  'em 
with  jack-knives  — 

GEORGEE. 
Oh—  ! 

BARRINGTON. 

That  makes  f o'teen  so  fa',  not  countin'  the  wounded. 
You  see,  it's  all  this  ba'-room  riffraff  —  dam' 
'em !  I  beg  yo'  pardon,  but  it  makes  a  man 
ashamed  of  his  race  t'  see  such  things  go  on ! 

GEORGIE. 
An'  the  campaign  —  ? 

BARRINGTON. 

Yes,  that  was  all  niggah  vote  an'  prohibition. 
It  helped  stir  'em  up.  —  An'  then  the  niggah  cop 
decidin'  he  jus'  didn't  so't  o'  feel  like  arrestin' 
the  coon  who  bust  open  that  ba'bahshop  — 

MRS.  BYRD. 

Quickly. 

Negro  policeman  !  We'll  be  havin'  negro  presi 
dents  next ! 


ACT  H]  THE  NIGGER  113 

BARRINGTON. 

Yeste'day  bein'  Washington's  Bi'thday,  the  saloons 
were  jam  full  —  every  one  naturally  showin'  his 
deep  respect  fo'  the  immo'tal  Geo'ge  by  gettin' 
thoroughly  pifflicated !  The  ba'bah  shop  busi 
ness  so't  o'  lit  the  fuse.  An7  when  that  niggah, 
assisted  by  the  p'lice,  did  a  black  Houdini  act  out 
o'  the  jail  an'  on  to  a  train  —  well,  that  was  the 
finishin'  touch ! 

GEORGIE. 

What  are  the  police  doing  now?  I  haven't  seen 
one ! 

BARRINGTON. 

At  the  u'gent  request  of  all  the  othah  black  pris- 
onahs  —  who  aren't  pa'ticulahly  desirous  o' 
helpin'  along  the  celebration  by  gettin'  lynched 
themselves  —  the  police  have  fo'med  a  line  in 
front  the  jail;  an'  as  fah  as  lookin'  about  ninety- 
nine  per  cent  nercah  than  they  feel  goes,  theah 
makin'  one  great  big  hit ! 

MRS.  BYRD. 

An'  the  whole  city  in  the  hands  of  the  riotahs ! 
Well,  theah  's  one  thing  to  be  grateful  fo'  -  the 

niggahs  '11  get  a  good  set-back ! 
I 


n4  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  n 

BARRINGTON. 

The  Gove'noh  thinks  we're  the  ones  who'll  get  the 
set-back  —  Listen  !  Did  you  — 

A  newsboy  in  the  street  yelling  ' i  Extra!  Extra!  Uprisin' 
at  Weston.    Niggahs  killin'  the  whites!    Extra!" 

MRS.  BYRD. 

Killing  the  whites  !    Oh,  it's  awful  —  / 

BARRINGTON. 

At  the  window,  grimly. 

Nevah  mind !  The  Gove'noh's  goin'  t'  make  'em 
squeal  like  sinful  guinea-pigs  in  the  hands  of  an 
angry  God  ! 

GEORGIE. 
The  Courant—I    That's  Mr.   Noyes'  papah ! 

BARRINGTON. 

They're  runnin'  extras  every  half-hour  now.  It's 
like  tossin'  sticks  o'  dynamite  into  a  red-hot 
stove  —  keeps  the  cook  a-guessin'  !  Oh,  theah 
leadin'  the  full  rich  life  these  days  down  at  the 
Courant  offices ! 

GEORGIE. 
Why? 


ACT  n]  THE   NIGGER  115 

BARRINGTON. 

'Cause  Mr.  Noyes  is  a  keen  politician  —  that's 
all.  An'  as  fo'  lies  —  good  Lawd  !  If  the  C  our  ant 
said  a  man  was  honest,  tried  an'  true,  in  every 
sense  a  Christian  gentleman  — why,  you  couldn't 
have  a  bettah  reason  fo'  shootin'  him  at  sight ! 

He  lights  a  cigarette.     The  telephone  bell  rings.     He  goes 
toil. 

Excuse  me. 
At  telephone. 

Hello  !  —  Yes  —  No,  this  is  his  private  secretary 
-  Wheah  ?  —  JVeston  ?  —  They  broke  the  rail  an' 
—  What's  that  ?  Speak  a  little  louder,  please.  — 
Escapin'  niggahs  in  the  train  —  yes  —  how  many 
killed  ?  —  No.  —  On  the  i.io.  —  No,  theah  doin' 
all  they  can  at  the  jail  —  I'll  tell  him  —  yes,  I 
unde' stand  pu'fectly  —  Good-by. 

He  rings  of,  and  makes  a  memorandum  at  the  desk. 

They  want  help  out  theah,  but  we  can't  do  a  thing 
till  the  troops  come ! 

With  a  laugh. 

"Killin'  the  whites!"  I  reckon  that's  the  Cou- 
rant's  sense  o'  humor  ! 


n6  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  n 

MRS.  BYRD. 

Who  has  been  whispering  to  Georgie. 

An'  the  ca'ds  all  out,  an'  the  presents  coming 
in  !  Now  we'll  have  to  postpone  the  whole  thing  ! 
You  can't  persuade  me  the  negroes  are'nt  doing 
it  on  pu'pose  to  annoy  us  ! 

GEORGIE. 

Please,  mothah  —  don't  think  of  that  —  it  isn't 
the  least  use  to  any  one. 

BARRINGTON. 

I  told  Mammy  Jinny  to  bring  us  up  some  coffee. 
But  the  kitchen's  so  full  o'  scared  coons  I  reckon 
she  can't  come  within  cookin'  distance  o'  the  stove  ! 

GEORGIE. 
How  is  mammy  ?    Po'  ol'  thing  —  ! 

BARRINGTON. 

The  Gove'noh's  mighty  good  to  her  —  tries  to 
make  up  fo'  her  losin'  her  gran'son  that  way. 
Then  she's  powe'ful  religious,  an'  I  reckon  that 
helps  -  Heah  she  is  now  — 

Jinny  enters  with  a  tray. 


ACT  11]  THE   NIGGER  117 

Mammy,  at  the  present  moment  I'd  rathah  see 
you,  carryin'  yo'  coffee-tray,  than  — 

GEORGIE. 

Smiling. 

Good  mawning,  mammy ! 

JINNY. 

Lifelessly. 

Mawnin',  Miss  Geo'gie. 

MRS.  BYRD. 

Po'  me  a  cup  of  yo7  coffee,  mammy.     It's  the  only 

thing  that'll  do  my  head  the  slightest  good  ! 

\ 

BARRINGTON. 

Taking  his  coffee. 

Mammy,  considah  yo'self  entitled  to  a  couple  o' 
Ca'negie  medals  fo'  savin'  a  humble  though  useless 
life! 

There  is  a  renewed  firing  outside,  and  the  noise  of  the 
mob  is  heard  more  loudly. 

MRS.  BYRD. 

Nervously. 

Geo'gie,  we've  got  to  get  away.  I  can't  stand 
this  any  mo'  ! 


n8  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  n 

GEORGIE. 

Theah  !  That's  all  right,  deah  !  PhiPll  take  care 
of  us  —  just  trust  him  !  Now  drink  yo'  coffee 
like  a  good  little  mothah  —  ! 

BARRINGTON. 
Wait !    I  hea'd  the  front  do' ! 

GEORGIE. 
It's  Phil  — ! 

MRS.  BYRD. 
Thank  Heaven ! 

Barrington  goes  to  the  doorway. 

•» 

BARRINGTON. 
Calling. 

That  you,  suh  ? 

PHIL. 
Downstairs. 

Yes. 

BARRINGTON. 
Mis'  Byrd's  heah,  suh. 


ACT  n]  THE   NIGGER  119 

PHIL. 
Oh,  is  she  ? 

There  is  a  moment's  pause  and  then,  coming  upstairs, 
he  enters  the  study.  He  has  on  a  long  overcoat,  but 
no  hat;  he  is  muddy  and  rather  dishevelled  and  very 
tired  and  quite  cheerful. 

GEORGIE. 

Running  over  to  him. 

Yo'  po'  deah  —  ! 
He  kisses  her  hand. 

MRS.  BYRD. 

Oh,  Philip,  how  could  you  ! 

• 

PHIL. 
To  Mrs.  Byrd. 

Could  what,  Mrs.  Byrd  ?  — 
To  Georgie. 

I'm  glad  you  came  ovah.     This  is  a  powerful 
ticklish  time ! 

GEORGIE. 

In  a  lower  voice. 

You  see,  yo'  violets  —  they  arrived  just  as  usual  — 
not  a  minute  late ! 


120  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  n 

PHIL. 

Smiling. 

That  florist  's  an  example  to  all  of  us  just  now. 
He  doesn't  let  a  thing  keep  him  from  his  wuhk ! 

GEORGIE. 

What  happened  at  the  mass-meeting  ?  Sit  down, 
deah,  you  must  be  dead ! 

PHIL. 

Taking  of  his  coat. 

Well,  you  know  our  reverend  Mayoh  is  not  what 
you'd  call  beloved,  an'  when  he  got  up  to  speak  — 
aftah  I'd  implo'ed  him  not  to  —  o'  co'se  there 
was  a  yell  o'  "Niggah  P'lice !  What  about  that 
Niggah  P'lice!"  an'  such  a  howlin'  that  even  I, 
neah  as  I  was,  couldn't  heah  a  wo'd  he  was  tryin' 
t'  say.  Then  the  bricks  began  to  fly,  an'  I  had  t' 
take  him  gently  but  n'mly  by  the  a'm  an'  lead 
him  to  a  place  o'  compa'ative  safety.  I  had  my 
hat  stove  in  fo'  my  pains.  An'  that's  all  the  good 
His  Honah's  mass-meetin'  did ! 

GEORGIE. 

Who  has  meanwhile  poured  him  a  cup  of  coffee. 
Now  drink  this,  deah,  right  off.    , 


ACT  n]  THE  NIGGER  121 

PHIL. 

Thanks.  Simms  is  makin'  me  some  sandwiches 
an'  — 

GEORGIE. 

I  know  you  haven't  had  a  bite  to  eat  since  last 
night. 

He  drinks  the  coffee. 

Is  it  all  gone  ?    Theah !    I  feel  bettah  ! 

BARRINGTON. 

Cheerfully. 

If  it  weren't  fo'  you,  suh,  I  reckon  this  city  would 
just  a-laid  down  an'  quietly  croaked  —  said  fare 
well  amid  an  odo'  o'  gun-powdah  an'  ovah-heated 
niggahs  !  Wheah  the  devil  do  all  these  pencils  go  ? 

He  hunts  about  the  desk. 

MRS.  BYRD. 

What  all  that  black  and  white  trash  needs  is  mo' 
shootin'  and  less  talkin',  Phil. 

PHIL. 

Oh,  I  don't  know  !  Barrington  an'  a  squad  o' 
p'lice  an'  I  have  been  movin'  round  all  night,  mo' 
or  less,  an'  I've  talked  to  some  effect.  We  made 


122  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  n 

'em  quit  down  on  Gran'  Street,  didn't  we,  oP 
man? 

GEORGIE. 

Impulsively. 

Oh,  it's  —  it's  wonderful  the  way  yo'  —  provin* 
yo'self,  Phil! 

PHIL. 
Jocularly. 

Heah!    Heah ! 

To  Harrington. 

Give  me  a  match,  will  you? 

GEORGIE. 

I  don'  care !  I'm  right  glad  I'm  engaged  to  such 
a  man !  It  shows  my  judgment,  doesn't  it,  little 
mothah  ? 

BARRINGTON. 

Smiling. 

Or  his ! 

PHIL. 

Smiling. 

So  it  takes  a  race  riot  to  make  you  appreciate  my 
many  good  qualities?  That's  not  ovah  com- 
plimenta'y,  is  it? 

There  is  a  rising  murmur  from  the  distant  crowd,  dying 
'  away  slowly. 


ACT  n]  THE   NIGGER  123 

MRS.  BYRD. 

How  you  an7  Phil  talk  an'  joke  an'  giggle  with  all 
that  going  on  out  theah,  I  ce'tainly  don'  see ! 

PHIL. 
To  Mrs.  Byrd,  gently. 

Now,  Mrs.  Byrd,  no  worryin' !  When  Colonel 
Knapp  an'  the  5th  Militia  arrive,  the  city '11  be 
quiet  as  a  grave  within  twenty-fo'  hours  !  Mean 
while,  s'posin'  you  an'  Geo'gie  go  upstairs  an' 
rest  a  little.  You  both  look  done  up  —  no  sleep's 
bad  fo'  the  complexion !  Mammy,  take  care  o' 
the  ladies,  will  you? 

MRS.  BYRD. 

I  couldn't  sleep  a  wink !  What  d'you  take  me 
fo'  —  ?  A  piece  of  Grand  Rapids  fu'niture  ? 

PHIL. 

Persuasively. 

Just  lie  down  an'  close  yo'  eyes.  You  have  no 
idea  how  much  bettah  you'll  feel ! 

MRS.  BYRD. 

All  I  hope  is  that  I  nevah  wake  up  —  but  fi'st, 
Phil,  I  want  you  to  put  these  in  yo'  safe. 

She  selects  several  of  the  bundles  she  has  brought  with  her. 


124  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  n 

PHIL. 

Weighing  one  with  his  hand. 
What  are  they  ?    Feels  so't  o'  heavy  ! 

MRS.  BYRD. 

Theah  my  gran'mothah  Carter's  spoons  an'  the 
little  box  heah  is  mothah's  pea'ls  that  I've  always 
kept,  an'  these  are  my  recipes  fo'  beaten  biscuit 
an'  spiced  ham  an'  takin'  fruit  stains  out  o'  linen 


an'  — 


PHIL. 
Who  has  opened  the  safe. 

All  right  —  in  they  go.  This  ce'tainly  seems  like 
wah-times ! 

To  Georgie. 

Wheah  are  yo'  treasures,  honey  ? 

GEORGIE. 

Don't  laugh  at  me,  Phil,  but  I've  brought  —  (she 
shows  a  box)  the  unifo'm  gran'fathah  wo'  when  he 
was  killed — at  Antietam,  you  know.  I  —  I 
didn't  want  to  leave  it  behind. 


ACT  n]  THE   NIGGER  125 

PHIL. 

Tenderly. 

I'm  not  laughin',  honey.     An'  is  that  all? 

GEORGIE. 

Smiling. 

One  thing  mo' !     Guess  -  -  ! 
She  holds  up  a  smaller  package. 

PHIL. 
I  cain't. 

GEORGIE. 
You've  got  to  ! 

PHIL.  Q^J 

False  cu'ls  — ! 

GEORGIE. 
Phil,  yo'   horrid !    Come  along,   mothah ! 

PHIL. 
Tell  me,  then 

GEORGIE. 

Yo'  letters  —  stupid  ! 
She  runs  out  the  door,  the  package  in  her  hand. 


126  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  n 

PHIL. 

Calling  after  her. 

I  reckon  they'ah  not  wo'th  much ! 
He  rings. 

MRS.  BYRD. 

Theah's  no  use  my  going  !  The  very  thought  of 
sleep  sets  me  all  of  a  twittah  ! 

JINNY. 

Come  'long,  Miss  Sally.  I'll  rub  yo'  haid  wif 
vinegah  an'  you'll  be  snorin'  fo'  yo'  know  it  — 
sho'  yo'  will. 

MRS.  BYRD. 

Sighing. 

What  a  comfo't  you  are,  mammy  !  —  jus'  like  the 
ol'  times  ! 

As  she  goes  out  with  Jinny. 

If  only  they  were  all  like  you  —  Oh,  how  thank 
ful  I  am  my  po',  deah  husband  is  not  alive  to  see 
his  wife  an'  daughter  cooped  up  like  spring  chickens 
by  a  colo'ed  mob  - 

She  weeps  a  little. 


ACT  n]  THE  NIGGER  127 

PHIL. 
As  they  disappear. 

Good  night,  Mrs.  Byrd  —  or  good  mawnin'  — 
whichevah  it  is.  I'll  have  yo'  called  fo'  luncheon, 
even  if  I  cain't  be  heah  — 

Enter  Simms. 

SIMMS. 
Marse  Phil  ? 

PHIL. 

Looking  at  his  watch. 

I'm  expectin'  the  chief  o'  p'lice  any  minute.  Send 
him  up  as  soon  as  he  comes.  That's  all. 

SIMMS. 
Yessuh. 

He  goes  out. 

PHIL. 
To  Barrington. 

I've  got  to  weed  out  ev'ry  niggah  on  the  fo'ce ! 
—  Any  telephone  calls  after  you  came  back? 

BARRINGTON. 
Briefly. 

Train  wrecked  at  Weston.  Eight  niggahs  killed. 
They  want  mo'  men. 


128  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  11 

PHIL. 

We'll  send  them  out  when  the  troops  come  —  Po7 
me  a  whiskey,  will  you,  Barrington?    Full  up. 

A  newsboy  in  the  street  yells,  "Extra!    White  woman 
shot  by  niggah  I    Extra !    Extra  ! ' ' 

BARRINGTON. 

Getting  the  drink. 

Heah    that?    Instructive    as    well    as    amusin', 
isn't  it  ? 

PHIL. 

At  the  window. 

Courant,  oj  co'se.    Run  down  an'  choke  him  — 
quick.    Take  away  his  papahs. 

BARRINGTON. 

Will  I  ?     Oh,  Lord  !     Honest,  I  pity  that  kid  from 
the  bottom  o'  my  tendah  hea't !    Just  you  wait  — 

He  goes  out  hastily.    After  a  moment  the  boy's  voice 
stops  suddenly. 

PHIL. 
At  the  telephone. 

318  High,  please.     That's  the  Courant,  isn't  it? 
Yes. —  Hello,   I   want   the   City   Edito',   please. 


ACT  n]  THE   NIGGER  129 

This  is  Gove'noh  Morrow.  —  Thanks.  —  City 
Edito'?  This  is  the  Gove'noh.  You  haven't 
cut  off  those  extras.  Didn't  you  get  wo'd  from 
me  ?  Then  why  the  devil  —  theah  bein'  called 
now,  I  can  heah  the  boy  this  minute:  "White 
woman  shot  by  niggahs  !"  —  Mr.  Noyes'  awdahs 
—  Dam'  the  policy  of  the  papah  !  —  I  don't  want 
anothah  wo'd  now  !  If  you  bring  out  one  mo' 
edition  inside  o'  twenty-fo'  hours,  I'll  place  yo' 
entire  staff  undah  arrest  —  unde'stand?  Now 
remembah  —  No,  that's  all.  Good-by. 

He  rings  of. 
Enter  Barrington. 

BARRINGTON. 
As  he  comes  in. 

The  di'ty  little  son-of-a-gun  —  he'd  sold  ovah  a 
hundred  copies  already  !    But  I  fixed  him  good  - 
he  can't  sit  down  fo'  a  week ! 

PHIL. 
Take  a  wire,  please. 

Walking  up  and  down  with  his  whiskey  as  he  dictates. 

"Adjutant-General  Wood,  Fort  Worth.  Sta't  the 
7th  an'  8th  Infantry  to  be  held  as  rese'ves. 
Morrow."  — Got  that? 

K 


130  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  n 

BARRINGTON. 
Yes,  suh. 

PHIL. 

Send  it  off  now. 

As  Barrington  starts  for  the  door. 

Wait !  Somethin'  else.  I  want  you  to  go  yo'self 
to  Senatoh  Long's  house  --  it's  somewheah  on 
McAlpin  Street  - 

BARRINGTON. 
Surprised. 

Long? 

PHIL. 

Yes,  Long.  Tell  him  I  want  to  see  him  as  soon  as 
he  can  conveniently  arrange  it.  To-night  '11  do. 

BARRINGTON. 

I  reckon  he'll  be  su'prised,  suh.  He's  fought 
mighty  ha'd  t'  get  that  Prohibition  Bill  through 
both  Houses  —  just  as  if  he  didn't  know  all  along 
you  were  goin'  to  veto  it.  He'll  probably  do  some 
cussin'  when  he  sees  you  —  they  say  his  vocabu 
lary  will  give  a  woman  fits  an'  make  a  strong 
man  weep  teahs  of  envy ! 


ACT  11]  THE   NIGGER  131 

PHIL. 
All  right.     I'll  risk  it,  b'cause  - 

Simms  appears  at  the  door  with  sandwiches,  which  he 
places  on  the  table  —  back. 

SIMMS. 
Chief  o'  p'lice,  suh. 

PHIL. 
Bring  him  in,  Simms. 

BARRINGTON. 
You  won't  need  me  ? 

PHIL. 

No,  get  off  that  wire  an'  the  call  on  the  Senatoh. 
Then  finish  up  the  railroad  affairs  —  we  can't 
be  hampe'ed  that  way  now. 

BARRINGTON. 
Very  well,  suh. 

He  goes  out  as  Tilton,  the  chief  of  police,  comes  in. 

TILTON. 
Mawnin',  yo'  Excellency.    Hope  I'm  not  late. 


132  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  n 

PHIL. 

Speaking  sharply  and  quickly. 

I've  jus'  come  from  the  City  Hall  mass-meetin' 
an'  all  yo'  niggah  officahs  have  got  to  go.  The 
people  resent  a  niggah  p'lice  an'  I  don'  blame  'em  ! 

TILTON. 
We  need  all  we  — 

PHIL. 

I  don't  care  how  few  are  left.  Anyway,  the 
militia's  due  heah  this  mawnin'. 

TILTON. 
Theah's  a  good  many,  suh,  so  light-colo'ed  that  — 

PHIL. 

Tilton,  either  a  man's  a  niggah  or  he  isn't.  Now 
go  ahead  on  that  basis  an'  I'll  be  responsible  fo' 
the  consequences.  Unde'stan'  ? 

TILTON. 
Very  well,  suh. 

Enter  Simms. 


ACT  n]  THE   NIGGER  133 

SIMMS. 

'Scuse  me,  sah,  but  Mr.  Noyes  's  heah  an'  he  say 
he  gottah  see  you  'bout  suthin'  impo'tan' ! 

PHIL. 
Send  him  up. 

Exit  Simms. 

Oh,  one  thing  mo' !  Use  every  man  you  can 
possibly  spare  from  the  jail  in  keepin'  the  bahs 
closed.  It's  pourin'  oil  on  the  fire  to  have  — 

TILTON. 
I  sent  out  yo'  awdahs  yeste'day,  suh. 

PHIL. 

Well,  they  haven't  been  obeyed.  Last  night  I 
shut  up  five  myself,  —  within  three  blocks. 

TILTON. 
I'll  do  my  best,  suh. 

PHIL. 
All  right,  good-by. 

TILTON. 
Good-by,  suh. 

Enter  Noyes. 


i34  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  n 

NOYES. 

Hello,  Tilton  !    Good  luck  to  you  ! 

TILTON. 
Thanks,  suh. 

He  goes  out. 

NOYES. 

Shaking  hands  effusively. 

Mawnin',  Phil.  How  goes  it?  Wuhkin'  pretty 
ha'd  —  eh? 

PHIL. 

Well,  that's  what  I'm  heah  fo',  I  s'pose.  Have  a 
drink  ? 

NOYES. 

It's  an  invitation  I  make  a  point  o'  nevah  refusin'. 
-  Heah,  that's  enough !    Thank  you,  Phil. 

Chuckling  to  himself. 

Now  if  oP  Long  were  Gove'noh  'stead  o'  you,  I 
reckon  this  is  the  las'  taste  o'  rye  we  could  legally 
enjoy  !  Got  his  dam'  Bill  through  both  Houses,  I 
see.  How  he  did  it  beats  hell ! 

PHIL. 
He  was  rathah  convincin'. 


ACT  n]  THE   NIGGER  135 

NOYES. 

Say,  this  is  good  stuff  o'  yo's,  Phil ! 
Going  on  indulgently. 

Oh,  I  could  a'  stopped  it  in  the  Senate,  but  Lawd  ! 
what  was  the  use?  It  can't  get  round  you  an' 
they  ain't  strong  enough  to  pass  it  ovah  you. 
Well,  this  oP  place's  in  quite  a  commotion  !  If 
it  keeps  up  all  the  niggahs  '11  be  dead  or  on  the 
run,  which'll  seem  too  like  Heaven  to  be  true 
-eh? 

PHIL. 

It  won't  keep  me  up.  The  5th  Militia's  due  heah 
this  mawnin'.  That'll  end  it.  An'  I've  wired 
fo'  two  mo'  regiments  —  jus'  to  be  on  the  safe  side. 

NOYES. 
Listen  t'  that ! 

There  is  a  noise  of  firing  and  shouting  at  a  distance. 

Theah  goin'  at  quite  a  clip  —  ain't  they  ?  Did 
you  see  that  oF  coon  they  bu'ned  last  night 
in  a  barrel  o'  asphalt  ?  Lawd ! 

Suddenly. 

Say,  Phil,  ain't  you  feelin'  well? 


136  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  n 

PHIL. 

I'm  so't  of  a  wet  rag  t'  day  —  you  see  I  was  out 
all  night. 

NOYES. 

I  reckon  this  mix-up  is  a  blessin'  in  disguise  — 
like  the  kind  they  have  in  books !  You'll  get  a 
big  black  bunch  fo'  the  chain-gang  an'  Gawd 
knows  the  State's  sho't  o'  labo' !  An'  we're 
breakin'  reco'ds  up  at  the  Distille'ies !  People 
need  a  heap  o'  whiskey  t'  get  'em  t'  the  stage 
wheah  they  kill  ev'ry  niggah  they  see  !  Ho !  ho  ! 

He  laughs,  glancing  keenly  at  Phil. 
Ain't  that  so? 

PHIL. 
Gravely. 

I've  jus'  repeated  my  awdahs  to  close  ev'ry  bah 
in  this  city.  I  think  this  time  they'll  go  through, 
Clif. 

NOYES. 

Well,  I  hea'd  some  talk  o'  that  this  mawnin'  an*  — 
to  tell  you  the  truth,  that's  why  I  came  around. 
You  know,  Phil,  you  mustn't  do  things  like  that  — 
they  give  a  bad  impression  —  so't  o'  Prohibition- 
Long  idea  —  eh  ?  See  what  I'm  drivin'  at  ? 


ACT  n]  THE   NIGGER  137 

PHIL. 

I  don't  care  what  impression  they  give.  Those 
awdahs  are  not  a-goin'  to  be  reversed,  Clif. 

NOYES. 
Are  you  dead  sho'  they'll  do  any  good  ? 

PHIL. 

I'm  dead  sho'  that  if  it  weren't  fo'  drinkin',  the 
trouble  would  nevah  have  sta'ted. 

NOYES. 

O'  co'se,  fo'  a  couple  o'  days,  it  don't  make  so 
much  diff'rence.  Altho'  I'll  lose  a  right  sma't 
lump  o'  money,  Phil ! .  But  I  know  you've  got  to 
do  what  you  think's  right  —  I  unde'stand  that 
pu'fectly !  —  an'  when  the  troops  come  we  kin 
drink  to  niggah  damnation  in  Noyes'  Rye  an' 
enjoy  it  all  the  mo'  fo'  our  tempo'ary  abstinence ! 

PHIL. 
It  won't  be  tempo'ary,  Clif.     It'll  be  fo'  good. 

NOYES. 
What's  that? 


138  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  n 

PHIL. 
Calmly. 

I  said  it'll  be  fo'  good.  Clif,  I'm  not  goin'  to  veto 
the  Long  BiU. 

NOYES. 
Staring  at  him. 

Yo'not  — 

PHIL. 
Quietly. 

I've  been  givhV  the  whole  thing  a  good  deal  o' 
thought,  Clif,  the  las'  six  months,  an'  I've  come 
to  some  right  definite  conclusions.  This  vol 
cano's  helped  me  along  conside'able.  We  brought 
the  niggahs  ovah  t'  this  country,  Clif  —  an'  I 
reckon  we're  responsible  fo'  them  while  theah 
heah.  If  we've  kept  'em  like  children,  we've  got 
to  treat  'em  like  children.  An'  we're  not  in  the 
habit,  Clif,  o'  pourin'  liquoh  down  the  throats 
of  our  infants.  Why,  day  befo'  yeste'day  I  had 
a  count  made  an'  theah  were  three  thousand  four 
hundred  and  sixty-seven  idle  niggahs  in  the  fifty- 
nine  saloons  o'  the  levee  district !  That  was  the 
end,  Clif,  an'  the  long  an'  the  sho't  of  it  is  —  we're 
goin'  dry! 


ACT  n]  THE   NIGGER  139 

NOYES.     , 
Considerately. 

Phil,  are  you  sho'  yo'  wuhk  ain't  affected  you? 
If  I  was  you  I'd  take  a  nice  li'lle  nap  an7  then 
you'll  wake  up  feelin'  fine ! 

PHIL. 

I'm  talkin'  straight,  Clif . 

• 

NOYES. 

When  you  say  yo'  not  intendin'  t'  veto  the  Long 
Bill,  I  say  yo'  clean  off  yo'  head. 

PHIL. 
Well,  I'm  goin'  to  stay  off,  then.    You'll  see. 

NOYES. 
Phil,  I  — 

PHIL. 

Firmly. 

I'm  goin'  to  let  that  Bill  pass.  This  State  '11  go  dry 
within  a  week. 

NOYES. 

If  that  Bill  goes  through,  I  won'  have  a  cent  lef 
in  the  wo'ld.  I'm  in  it  up  to  my  neck. 


i4o  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  n 

PHIL. 
I  can't  help  it,  Clif ;  I'm  sorry,  but  I  can't  help  it ! 

NOYES. 

Good  Gawd,  man,  don't  you  know  that's  the  only 
reason  we  elected  you  ?  You  don'  think  you  got 
in  on  yo'  good  looks,  do  you  ?  Oh,  come  off,  you 
can't  tu'n  coat  this  way,  even  if  yo'  fool  enough 
to  want  to.  It's  — it's  ridiculous  —  yes,  that's 
the  wo'd  —  it's  dam'  ridiculous  ! 

He  tries  to  laugh. 

PHIL. 
All  right,  then.    But  I'll  do  it  jus'  the  same. 

NOYES. 
Breathing  hard. 

D'you  really  mean  that,  Phil? 

PHIL. 
Yes,   I  mean  it. 

NOYES. 
Close  to  him  and  speaking  very  quietly. 

I  reckon  you  wouldn't  like  it,  Phil,  if  I  was  t'  call 
you  a  di'ty  coward? 


ACT  n]  THE  NIGGER  141 

PHIL. 

I  reckon,  Clif ,  you'd  bettah  not  try  ! 
There  is  again  the  noise  of  distant  firing. 

NOYES. 

But  that's  what  I  call  a  man  who  climbs  ovah 
his  Men's  into  a  big  position  —  an'  then  kicks  'em 
away  from  undah  his  feet  — 

PHIL. 
Look  out  now ! 

NOYES. 
His  voice  rising. 

A  man  who  goes  back  on  his  wo'd  that  way  — 
by  God,  I  call  him  a  dam',  lyin'  — 

PHIL. 

Blazing  up  at  him. 

Stop  that  or  I'll  throw  you  out  of  the  house ! 
You  know  as  well  as  me  I  nevah  promised  you  or 
Watson  a  dam'  thing !  I  made  that  pu'fectly 
cleah  when  I  accepted  the  nomination  —  that  I 
felt  free  to  act  in  every  way  exactly  as  I  pleased ! 
So  if  yo'  caught  now,  it's  yo'  own  fault  an'  you  can 
take  every  ounce  o'  blame  ! 


i42  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  n 

NOYES. 

You  understood  why  we  ran  you  into  office  - 
theah's  no  use  denyin'  it !    You  meant  money 
in  our  pockets  —  come  now,  you  can't  go  back 
on  us  like  that !    We'll  make  you  — 

PHIL. 

Interrupting. 

If  you  expected  me  to  use  the  government  o'  this 
State  fo'  the  protection  of  yo'  whiskey  business, 
you  got  hold  the  wrong  man  —  an7  that's  all ! 

NOYES. 

We  elected  you  on  yo'  name  an'  pa'ty  loyalty  an* 
the  saloon  vote.  Now  you'd  bettah  look  out  or 
you'll  lose  the  bunch  ! 

PHIL. 
Rising. 

Clif,  I'm  mighty  busy  this  mawning,  an'  I  reckon 
we've  said  all  we  need  to  on  the  subject. 

NOYES. 
Rising. 

No,  we  ain't  —  not  by  a  long  shot !  Phil,  are  you 
goin'  to  pass  that  Bill? 


ACT  n]  THE   NIGGER  143 

PHIL. 
I  certainly  am. 

NOYES. 
I  won't  let  you. 

PHIL. 

You  kept  me  from  doin'  my  duty  once,  Clif  - 
no,  I  haven't  fo'gotten  it !    But  you  can't  do  it 
again  !     It's  no  good  ! 

NOYES. 

Phil,  I  give  you  one  las'  chance  to  play  square. 
Come,  oP  man,  I  don'  want  to  fo'ce  you,  but  yo' 
drivin'  me  to  it. 

PHIL. 
Fo'ce  me  — ! 

He  gives  a  short  laugh. 
Well,  go  ahead  an'  try 

NOYES. 
Honest,  Phil,  I  — 

PHIL. 

With  sudden  fury. 

I  tell  you  I'd  pass  that  Bill  ovah  yo'  dead  body ! 
—  Now  d'you  unde'stand? 


144  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  n 

NOYES. 
Through  his  teeth. 

I  reckon  well  see. 

He  takes  from  his  inside  coat  pocket  a  leather-covered 
wallet  which  he  opens  and  looks  into. 

Now  I  thought  I  had  —  no  —  yes,  theah  it  is  ! 
Lucky  I  always  carry  it  with  me. 

He  has  taken  out  a  neatly  folded  sheet  of  paper  covered 
with  typewriting.  He  opens  it,  glances  at  it  to  make 
sure  that  it  is  the  right  one,  and  then  hands  it  to  Phil. 
Mildly. 

Would  you  min'  readin'  that  ? 

PHIL. 
What  is  it,  Clif  ?    Theah's  no  use  tryin'  — 

NOYES. 
Interrupting. 

It's  not  very  long  an'  mebbe  it  '11  int'rest  you. 
Go  on  —  take  it ! 

PHIL. 

Phil  takes  the  paper  rather  scornfully,  and  runs  his  eye 
down  the  page.  There  is  a  little  pause. 

Why  —  wait  a  minute  — 

He  goes  nearer  the  window  and  reads  it  again  more  care- 
fully. 


ACT  n]  THE  NIGGER  145 

NOYES. 
After  a  moment,  as  Phil  reads  it  for  a  third  time. 

Belle  was  Jinny's  sistah  —  yo'  gran'fathah  sold 
her  down  to  Cleans. 

PHIL. 
Curiously. 

Wheah  did  you  get  this  ?  '  Peahs  like  it  might  be 
a  copy  of  somethin'. 

NOYES. 

In  yo'  attic  —  at  "Morrow's  Rest."  'Membah 
my  huntin'  fo'  Revolutionary  papahs  —  the  day 
Joe  White  got  lynched? 

PHIL. 
Yes. 

NOYES. 

Well,  this  is  what  I  found. 
A  slight  pause. 

PHIL. 

Sharply. 

But  what's  the  point  ?  What  if  the  gal  did  write 
this  to  my  gran'fathah? 


146  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  n 

i 

NOYES. 

Softly. 

What's  that  she  says?  "Even  though  he  didn't 
know  I  was  his  mothah. "  —  "You  needn't  be 
afraid  I'll  say  a  single  wo'd." 

PHIL. 
Well? 

NQYES. 
Harshly. 

Oh,  hell!  What's  the  good  o'  actin'  this  way? 
You  know  what  it  means. 

PHIL. 

Impatiently. 

O'  co'se  I  don't ! 

NOYES. 
Laughing  nervously. 

Well,  the  boy  she  talked  about  theah  was  yo' 
fathah  —  that's  aU. 

There  is  a  brief  pause. 

PHIL. 

With  a  slight  smile. 

You  silly  ass ! 


ACT  11]  THE  NIGGER  147 

NOYES. 

I've  got  the  original  heah  in  my  pocket.  Notice 
the  date  —  June  the  eleventh.  OP  Mis'  Morrow 
died  June  the  tenth,  eighteen  fo'ty-eight,  the 
evenin'  her  son  was  bawn.  —  Oh,  I've  looked  it 
all  up  !  If  you  don't  believe  me,  you  can  do  it 
yo'self.  An'  what  don't  appeah  in  the  reco'ds, 
the  son  died,  too  —  that  same  night,  I  reckon, 
if  he  didn't  make  his  entry  as  a  co'pse  —  mebbe 
it  was  a  gal.  But  anyway,  rathah  than  have 
"Morrow's  Rest"  go  ovah  to  my  gran'fathah- 
the  man  he'd  scrapped  with  ovah  a  good-lookin' 
yallah  gal  —  what  does  that  deah  oP  So'th'n 
gentleman  do  but  put  that  same  gal's  kid  in  the 
place  of  his  wife's,  send  the  mothah  to  be  sol'  in 
the  O 'leans  ma'ket,  then  light  out  himself  to  the 
Mexican  wah  an'  get  killed !  —  Now  d'ye  catch 
on? 

PHIL. 

Incredulous. 

Are  you  tryin'  to  tell  me  with  a  straight  face, 
Clif ,  that  my  gran'mothah  was  a  niggah  ? 

NOYES. 
What  I'm  tellin'  you  is  not  only  that  yo'  gran'- 


,: 


148  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  n 

mothah  was  a  niggah,  Phil,  but  that  yo'  a  niggah, 
too.  —  Now  you've  got  it  square  between  the  eyes  ! 

PHIL. 
After  a  brief  pause. 

I'll  be  damned  if  I  don'  think  you  really  believe  it ! 


NOYES. 

I'm  not  the  so't  o'  man  to  wuhk  with  fac's  I 
don'  know  down  to  the  ground. 

PHIL. 
Angrily. 

We'll  quit  talkin'  about  this,   Clif,  unde'stan'? 
It's  gone  too  fa',  an'  I  don'  like  it. 

NOYES. 

I  know  you  don't,  Phil  —  I  know  you  don't.   But 
you'll  end  by  believin'  it  —  ma'k  my  wo'd ! 

PHIL. 
Contemptuously. 

What  d'you  think  I  am  ? 

NOYES. 
I  think  yo'  a  niggah,  if  you  really  ask  me. 


ACT  n]  THE  NIGGER  149 

PHIL. 
Furiously. 

Get  out  that  do' ! 

NOYES. 

Hold  on  a  second !  If  yo'  so  sho'  I'm  off,  what 
about  lettin'  me  ask  yo'  mammy  a  few  li'lle  things  ? 
She's  the  Jinny  that  brought  oF  Morrow's  lettah. 
She  knows  —  dam'  the  ol'  niggah  !  —  she's  always 
known ! 

PHIL. 

You  think  mammy  has  been  carryin'  a  thing  like 
that  on  her  soul  fo'  over  sixty  yeahs  ?  Lawd  !  — 

NOYES. 

I  don't  think  —  I  know.  I  neahly  had  it  out  of 
her  once ! 

PHIL. 
Laughing  scornfully. 

Well,  in  that  case,  ask  her  anythin'  you  want! 
I'll  be  rathah  tickled  to  see  how  she  takes  it. 

NOYES. 
All  right.    Would  you  mind  havin'  her  in? 


THE   NIGGER 


PHIL. 


[ACT 


Politely. 

Not  in  the  least. 

He  rings. 

Po'  Clif ,  it  makes  an  awful  excitin'  idea,  don't  it 
I  wouldn't  be  too  disappointed,  if  I  was  you 
Maybe  you  can  think  up  somethin'  else  in  a 
days! 

Enter  Simms. 

Send  fo'  mammy,  Simms.    I  want  her  heah. 


SIMMS. 

Yes,  suh.  Marse  Phil,  de  kiching's  full  o'  dem 
or'nery  niggahs  —  clean  scared  t'  death.  Dey 
keep  a-comin'  in  all  de  time  an'  eve'ything's  so 
cluttah-up,  I  cain't  — 

PHIL. 

Interrupting,  good-naturedly. 
That's  all  right,  Simms.     We'll  sheltah  any  one 


who  drops  in  till  the  house  is  plum'  full. 
send  up  Jinny. 


Now 


ACT  n]  THE   NIGGER  151 

SIMMS. 

Resignedly. 

Yessuh. 
He  goes  out. 

NOYES. 
Calmly. 

"When  I  put  my  baby  in  Jinny's  a'ms  — " 
Breaks  o/. 

Lawd !    I  reckon  I  know  that  lettah  by  hea't ! 
Now  what  d'you  s'pose  it  means? 

PHIL. 

At  the  table,  back. 

How  the  devil  should  I  know? 

Pouring  a  drink. 

I'm  not  even  sho'  you  found  it  in  our  attic,  Clif. 

NOYES. 
Starting. 

Are  you  callin'  me  a  — 

PHIL. 

Smiling  a  little. 

Have  a  drink,  Clif.     Remembah  when  the  Long 
Bill  goes  through  we  won't  get  anothah  chance ! 


i52  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  n 

NOYES. 

Wiping  his  forehead. 

You  can't  scare  me  —  wheah's  that  ol'  woman? 
She's  slower'n  tah ! 

PHIL. 
Pleasantly. 

Mammy's  gettin'  on  in  yeahs.    Takes  her  time 
climbin'  stairs. 

There  is  firing  outside,  at  a  distance,  and  some  shouts. 

God,  I  wish  those  troops  were  heah !    We're  jus' 
wastin'  time  —  that's  it,  wastin'   time  ! 

Jinny  enters  and  stands  silently  by  the  door. 

Oh,  thank  you,  mammy.     Mr.  Noyes  heah  wants" 
t'  ask  you  some  questions  —  don't  you,  Clif  ? 

NOYES. 
Yes,  what  I  want  t'  know  is  this.    I  — 

\    PHIL. 
Interrupting. 

Jus'  a  second,  Clif. 

To  Jinny. 

Are  the  ladies  lyin'  down  —  pu'fectly  comfo'table? 


ACT  n]  THE  NIGGER  153 

JINNY. 

Never  taking  her  eyes  away  from  Noyes. 

Miss  Sally  done  gone  t}  sleep,  Marse  Phil.    I 
durmo  'bout  Miss  Geo'gie. 

PHIL. 
To  Noyes. 

Well,  go  on. 

NOYES. 
After  a  brief  pause. 

How  old  are  you,  mammy? 

JINNY. 
Dunno,  sah. 

NOYES. 
Evah  had  a  youngah  sistah  ? 

JINNY. 
Teahs  lak  I  might  have. 

NOYES. 
Evah  had  a  youngah  sistah  named  Belle  ? 

JINNY. 
Dunno,  sah.    Mebbe  an'  mebbe  not. 


THE  NIGGER  [ACT  n 

PHIL. 
Kindly. 

Try  to  think,  mammy.     It's  all  right. 

NOYES. 

Ol'  Marse  Phil  —  the  one  that  got  killed  in  Mexico 
—  you  remembah  him,  don't  you  ? 

JINNY. 
Yes,  sah. 

NOYES. 
'Membah  his  wife  dyin'  the  summah  he  went  away  ? 

JINNY. 
Yes,  sah. 

NOYES. 

He  was  a  right  han'some  young  man  —  eh? 
Looked  like  Phil  heah  ?  So't  o'  wild  an'  careless- 
like? 

JINNY. 
Yes,  sah. 

NOYES. 

Now  wasn't  he  an'  oP  Hank  Noyes  both  stuck  on 
Belle?  Didn't  they  have  a  big  scrap  ovah  her? 


ACT  n]  THE   NIGGER  155 

Didn't  oF  Marse  Phil  get  her  in  the  end  an'  give 
her  a  swell  eddication  an'  treat  her  almos'  like 
she  was  white  ? 

JINNY. 
I  —  dunno,  sah. 

NOYES. 

An'  then  didn't  he  sell  her  down  t'  O'leans  on  June 
the  twelfth,  eighteen  fo'ty-eight,  through  an  agent 
named  Kimball  ? 

His  voice  has  deepened  without  changing  tone. 

JINNY. 

Dunno,  sah.  I  cain't  —  I  cain't  'membah  way 
back  —  no  mo'. 

NOYES. 

You  remembe'ed  last  summah  all  right !  Why 
did  he  sell  her  down  the  rivah  ? 

JINNY. 
I  tell  yo'  I  dunno,  sah  —  'deed  I  dunno  — 

NOYES. 
To  Phil. 

You  ask  her. 


156  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  n 

PHIL. 
Gently. 

If  you  do  happen  t'  recall  it,  mammy,  you  might 
as  well  tell  him. 

JINNY. 
I  dunno  —  I  reckon  he  done  got  tired  o'  her  — 

NOYES. 
Triumphant. 

Now  I  got  you  !    You  admit  Belle  —  how's  that 
-Phil?    How's  that? 

PHIL. 

Mammy,  is  even  this  much  of  it  true?  Did  my 
gran'fathah  have  a  quadroon  gal  named  Belle  ? 
Was  she  yo'  sistah,  mammy  ? 

JINNY. 

Dazed. 

Marse  Phil  —  I  —  I  dunno  what  I  done  say  — 

* 

PHIL. 
Patiently. 

Wait,  mammy.  Theah's  no  hurry.  It's  all  right ! 
Think  quietly.  Mr.  Noyes  heah  's  got  hold  of  a 


ACT  n]  THE  NIGGER  157 

story  an'  I  want  you  t'  help  me  show  him  it's  all 
nonsense ! 

NOYES. 

I  know  why  he  sold  her  down  the  rivah.  'Tweren't 
'cause  he  got  tired  of  her,  it  was  'cause  he  was 
'f raid  she  might  tell  'bout  — 

JINNY. 

Shaking  her  head  violently  as  she  interrupts. 

I  dunno  nuffin'  —  Marse  Phil,  why  you  let  him 
talk  t'  me  — 

NOYES. 

She  ain't  hea'd  me  out,  but  she  seems  t'  feel  what's 
comin'  jes'  the  same  ! 

JINNY. 

Marse  Phil,  Miss  Sally  an'  Miss  Geo'gie  —  they 
sho'  want  me  upstairs  — 

PHIL. 

Jus'  a  minute,  mammy.  You  don't  know  why  my 
gran'fathah  sold  Belle  down  to  O'leans,  do  you  ? 

JINNY. 

No,  Marse  Phil.  'Deed  I  don'  —  I  sw'ar  I  don', 
Marse  Phil  — 


158  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  n 

NOYES. 

Furiously. 

Then  I'll  tell  you !  It  was  'cause  he  had  to  get 
her  out  of  the  way  or  he'd  live  in  the  risk  o'  havin' 
her  claim  her  son  —  Phil's  fathah  theah  —  an' 
you  know  it,  you  ol'  devil,  you  know  it's  well's 
me! 

JINNY. 
Shrilly. 

I  dunno  —  nevah  had  no  sistah  —  Belle  weren't 
nevah  soP  down  t'  O'leans —  Dunno  nuffin' — 
nuffin9  — 

NOYES. 
Through  his  teeth. 

I'll  make  you  — 

JINNY. 

Still  shrilly. 

Marse  Clif  mus'  be  mistook  —  dat's  sho'  —  no, 
I  dunno  numn'  'bout  dat  — 

PHIL. 

To  Noyes,  as  he  shrugs  his  shoulders. 
Theah  !    You  see  ! 
To  Jinny. 
That'll  be  all,  mammy.    You  can  go. 


ACT  n]  THE   NIGGER  159 

JINNY. 
Yes,  Marse  Phil. 

She  turns  unsteadily  to  go  out,  but  Noyes  suddenly  seizes 
her  by  the  wrist. 

NOYES. 

D'you  think  you  can  fool  me's  easy's  all  that? 
D'you  mean  t'  say  you've  fo'gotten  the  time  when 
you  neahly  toP  Phil  yo'self?  That  night  up 
at  Morrow's  Rest,  when  the  dawgs  were  aftah  yo' 
Joe,  trackin'  him  down  ?  —  an'  you  knew  if  Phil 
kep'  him  in  the  house  he'd  be  safe  ?  —  Why,  you 
had  the  wo'ds  on  the  tip  o'  yo'  tongue  —  "You've 
got  to  keep  him  heah  —  'cause  he's  yo'  own  kin  — " 

PHIL. 

Quickly. 

Quit  it,  Clif ! 

NOYES. 
Continuing. 

But  you  didn't  say  'em,  you  dam1  ol'  piece  of  rock  ! 
You  stood  theah  an'  let  those  wa'dens  pull  off  Joe, 
an'  you  knew  what  would  happen  —  you  knew 
that  mob  would  tie  him  to  a  tree  an'  po'  kerosene 
on  his  clo's  an'  — 


160  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  n 

JINNY. 

At  last  finding  her  voice. 

Marse  Phil  — ! 

PHIL. 

Instantly,  pulling  Noyes  away. 

Dam'  you,  Clif,  what  d'you  mean  by  talkin'  that 
way  to  the  po'  ol'  thing?  Heah  I've  been  doin' 
all  I  could  t'  drive  away  those  memories,  an'  now 
you  come  along  with  — 

NOYES. 

Seeing  that  Jinny  is  turning  towards  the  door. 
Wait  a  second,   mammy !    Phil,   read  her  that 
lettah  —  the   one   I've  just  given  you  —  Belle's 
lettah.     Make  her  listen  to  it  an'  then  if  she  don't 
speak  up,  I'll  — 

PHIL. 
As  he  hesitates. 

Well? 

NOYES. 

I  won't  say  anothah  wo'd  —  I'll  let  the  mattah 
drop.  How's  that  ? 

PHIL. 

Sternly. 

No,  she's  had  enough.     Mammy,  that'll  do,  I'll  — 


ACT  H]  THE   NIGGER  161 

NOYES. 

Yo'  scared !  You  don'  dare !  You  know  she'd 
tell! 

PHIL. 

Tell?  Tell  what?  She  don't  know  anythin'  to 
tell! 

NOYES. 

Then  why  can't  you  read  that  lettah?  What 
diff'rence  does  it  make? 

PHIL. 

Shrugging  his  shoulders. 

That's  so.  Wait  just  a  moment,  mammy.  Mr. 
Noyes  wants  me  to  read  you  somethin'  an'  then  he 
won't  bothah  you  any  mo'. 

NOYES. 

Go  ahead.  Now  listen,  mammy  —  are  yo' 
listenin'  ? 

PHIL. 

Quit  naggin'  her,  Clif !     Mammy,  it  won't  take 

mo'n  a  jiffy. 

Reading  from  the  typewritten  sheet. 

M 


162  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  n 

"June  eleventh  —  Night.  Jinny  has  told  me  it 
is  true.  Kimball  is  comin'  at  eight  in  the 
mawnin'  an'  you  are  sellin'  me  down  the  rivah. 
I  think  I  could  crawl  t'  you  on  my  han's  an' 
knees  if  you  would  talk  t'  me  —  jus7  once  mo'  —  " 

Breaking  ojj. 

Look-aheah,  Clif ,  what's  the  good  o'  goin'  on  ? 
It's  a  dam'  indecency  — ! 

NOYES. 

Finish  her  up  —  she  ain't  long  ! 
He  is  looking  at  mammy,  who  listens  stolidly. 

PHIL. 
With  a  slight  shrug. 

Oh,  well  —  let's  see,  wheah  was  I  ? 
Reading. 

-jus'  once  mo'.  I  have  done  everythin'  you 
wanted,  but  when  I  put  my  baby  in  Jinny's  a'ms 
fo'  her  to  take  up  to  the  house,  I  so't  o'  hoped  I 
could  see  him  sometimes,  even  though  he  did  not 
know  I  was  his  mothah  — •  An'  now  you  are  sellin' 
me  down  theah.  I'm  not  askin'  you  to  change 
yo'  mind,  'cause  I  know  you  won't  —  yo'  made 
that  way.  I'm  goin'  to  obey  you  now,  just  like 


ACT  n]  THE  NIGGER  163 

I    always   have.     I'm   goin'    down    the   rivah- 
though  we  both  know  what  that  means.     Honey, 
you  needn't  be  scared  I'll  say  a  single  wo'd  —  I 
want  you  nevah  t'  think  of  me  again  —  theah's 
no  use  botherin'  any  mo'  — " 

Breaking  of. 

Clif ,  I  don't  believe  this  ! 

NOYES. 
Through  his  teeth. 

Go  on  —  go  on  ! 

PHIL. 

Reading. 

"  —  theah's  no  use  botherin'  any  mo'.  But  this 
is  what  I  am  tryin'  to  make  you  feel  —  fo'  yo' 
own  sake,  be  good  to  yo'  baby.  Don'  treat  him 
like  you  treated  me.  Make  it  all  up  to  him, 
'cause  if  you  don't  —  somethin'  dreadful  is  goin' 
t'  happen.  I  don't  know  what,  but  I  can  feel 
it  comin'  —  it's  somewheah  in  the  da'k  —  out 
side.  Dearest,  I  reckon  yo'  smilin',  but  this  is 
gospel  truth  an'  I  so  much  want  you  t'  know  in 
time.  It's  gettin'  late.  My  candle  is  neahly 
gone,  so  I'll  say  good-by.  If  theah  is  a  God, 
He'll  make  you  remembah  yo'  son  an'  fo'get  his 


1 64  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  n 

• 

mothah.  An'  now,  dearest,  I  hope  you  don't 
mind  my  sayin'  fo'  the  last  time  those  wonde'ful 
wo'ds  —  'cause  even  now  they'ah  wonde'ful  —  I 
love  you  —  /  love  you  —  " 

JINNY. 

Who  has  at  first  listened  stolidly,  then  with  strained  at 
tention,  now  bursts  forth. 

It's  Belle  a-talkin' !  It's  her  very  own  v'ice  —  ! 
Oh,  Gohd!  Oh,  Gohd !  Seems  lak  the  yeahs 
done  come  back  —  ! 

She  breaks  into  dry,  racking  sobs. 

PHIL. 

After  a  pause,  staring  at  her,  the  paper  in  his  hand. 

Mammy ! 

JINNY. 

Falling  on  her  knees  beside  him,  taking  his  hand. 

Marse  Phil  —  w'en  yo'  stood  theah  —  readin' 
Belle's  lettah  —  I  sw'ar  I  saw  her,  'way,  'way  back 
one  turr'ble  hot  night,  lyin'  in  bed,  a-nussin'  her 
baby  —  wif  de  lightnin'  commencin'  t'  jump 
an'  ev'rythin'  quiet  an'  so't  o'  scarey.  —  Seems 
if  I  didn't  dare  'stu'b  her,  but  w'en  I  done  say 
what  she  gotteh  do  —  an'  she  lift  de  li'lle  cryin' 


ACT  n]  THE   NIGGER  165 

thing  an'  put  him  in  my  a'ms  an'  den  covah  up 
her  face  quick  in  de  bedclo's —  why,  I  cain't 
fo'get  —  I  done  try  all  dis  time  an7 1  cain't  —  'deed 
I  cain't,  Marse  Phil  —  what  yo'  lookin'  at  dat 
way  —  Marse  Phil  —  Marse  Phil  — 

Her  ejaculations  die  away  into  a  terrified  silence. 

Phil  stands  looking  ojf  into  space,  mechanically  stroking 
her  hair. 

PHIL. 

Looking  down  at  her  with  an  e/ort,  speaking  gently. 
An'  rny  fathah  was  —  her  son  ? 

Jinny  does  not  answer,  her  head  sinks.     There  is  a 
pause.     Then  he  raises  her  to  her  feet. 

I  think  the  ladies  may  be  needin'  you  upstairs, 
mammy.  You'd  bettah  go.  —  Don'  say  anythin' 
to  them  about  this.  You've  kept  still  fo'  sixty 
odd  yeahs  —  (smiling  at  her),  I  reckon  you  can  do 
it  a  little  longah  ? 

JINNY. 

Yessuh  —  yessuh. 

She  edges  towards  the  door. 

PHIL. 
Do  you  know  —  what  —  happened  to  Belle  ? 


166  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  n 

JINNY. 

No,  Marse  Phil  —  dat  man  come  in  de  mawnin' 
an'  I  nevah  heah  'bout  her  no  mo'. 

PHIL. 

After  a  slight  pause. 

Well,  that's  all,  mammy. 

JINNY. 

As  she  hobbles  out,  trembling  and  gasping. 

Belle's  lettah  —  Gohd,  seems  lak  yo'  nevah  done 
let  things  end  —  ! 

PHIL. 
To  Noyes. 

Have  you  got  the  original  with  you?  I  want  to 
see  it. 

NOYES. 

Who  distrusts  his  calmness. 
Sho',  Phil  —  sho' !    But  —  you  know  — 

PHIL. 
Rather  scornfully. 

Oh,  I  won't  throw  it  into  the  fire  !  What's  the 
good  ?  It's  the  truth  that  counts  —  an'  you  can't 
kill  it  as  easy  as  that ! 


ACT  n]  THE   NIGGER  167 

NOYES. 

O'  co'se  —  o'  co'se  ! 

He  hastens  to  take  a  faded  envelope  from  his  wallet, 
which  he  hands  to  Phil. 

PHIL. 

Looking  at  the  address. 

"Mr.  Morrow — "     OP  fashioned,  pretty  writing 
isn't  it  ?    They  don't  make  M's  like  that  any  mo' ! 

NOYES. 

Judicially. 

You  ce'tainly  kin  eddicate  them  yallah  gals  within 
an  inch  o'  theah  lives  ! 

PHIL. 

Picking  up  something  that  has  fallen  from  the  pages  of 
the  letter. 

What's  that  ?  —  Why,  it's  a  rose  ! 

He  sniffs  it  instinctively. 

Theah's  no  fragrance  left.     It's  a  white  rose  — 

He  turns  away  suddenly,  with  a  little  choke. 


1 68  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  n 

NOYES. 

I  reckon  he  stuck  it  in  himself  —  latah  on.  She 
don't  say  no  thin'  'bout  no  roses  in  the  lettah. 

PHIL. 

Putting  the  letter  back  into  the  envelope,  handling  it 
very  tenderly. 

Po'  thing  !    Po'  li'lle  thing  ! 

Looking  up  and  still  speaking  under  his  breath ,  as  if 
in  the  presence  of  the  dead. 

Why  didn't  he  marry  some  one  else  —  aftah  his 
wife  died  ?  He  could  have  had  othah  children  — 
it  would  have  been  all  right ! 

NOYES. 

'Cause  at  the  end  o'  that  same  month  he  had  t' 
join  the  a'my  in  Mexico.  Theah  weren't  no  time. 
Or  mebbe  he  didn't  want  to. 

PHIL. 

Still  under  his  breath. 

An'  he  died  gloriously  —  killed  in  battle  !  Why, 
we  have  his  swo'd  hangin'  in  the  library  up  at 
"Morrow's  Rest"  —  ! 


ACT  11]  THE   NIGGER  169 

NOYES. 

Nervously,  eying  him. 

So  you, have. 

PHIL. 
Speaking  almost  to  himself. 

Killed  iii'battle  — !  I  reckon  that's  gettin'  off 
easy  !  —  An7  I'm  his  namesake  —  ! 

• .'/?  NOYES. 

Clearing  throat  uncomfortably. 
Queer,  ain't  it  ? 

PHIL. 
To  Noyes. 

Why  didn't  he  bu'n  this  himself?  Why  did  he 
leave  such  a  thing  behind  ? 

NOYES. 
Trying  to  be  matter-of-fact. 

I  expect  he  was  powe'ful  stuck  on  her.  Don't 
fo'get  that  ol'  flowah !  —  Yes,  she  must  'a'  been 
a  likely  lookin'  gal  all  right  —  he'd  done  a  heap  in 
eddicatin'  her  an'  £hat  so't  o'  stuff.  She  gave  him 
her  kid  when  his  own  wife  went  bac,k  on  -him  — 
p'raps  he  wanted  t'  remembah  her,  felt  so't  o'  — 


1 7o  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  n 

sorry  he'd  let  her  go  —  no,  you  nevah  kin  tell  what 
a  man'll  do  aftah  a  thing  like  that ! 


PHIL. 

Crushing  the  letter  in  his  hand  with  a  sudden  spasm  of 
rage. 

Dam'  him  !    Dam'  him  ! 

NOYES. 
Perturbed. 

Heah  now  —  le's  have  that  back,  or  theah  won't 
be  nothin'  left ! 

As  Phil  gives  him  the  letter. 

I  reckon  it's  no  good  cussin',  Phil.  S'pose  we  talk 
things  ovah  —  nice  an'  quiet !  Mebbe  we  kin 
arrange  everythin'  t'  suit  all  pa'ties  !  Set  down, 
Phil,  set  down ! 

PHIL. 
Half  to  himself. 

So  I'm  a  niggah  —  oh  ! 

NOYES. 

Now  'bout  that  Prohibition  Bill  —  you  won'  feel 
like  passin'  it,  will  you  ? 


ACT  n]  THE   NIGGER  171 

PHIL. 

Still  not  hearing. 

A  niggah — / 

NO  YES. 

Drop  that  fo'  a  moment  an'  talk  business,  can't 
you  ?  —  Phil,  you've  got  to  veto  that  Bill. 

PHIL. 

Turning  to  him  vacantly. 
What's  that  ?  —  I  don't  see  - 

NOYES. 

The  Long  Prohibition  Bill.  You  said  you  were 
goin'  t'  pass  it.  I  reckon  you've  changed  yo' 
mind? 

PHIL. 

Sharply. 

O'  co'se  not  —  why  should  I  ? 

NOYES. 
After  a  brief  pause. 

B 'cause  now,  Phil,  my  boy  —  well,  t'  put  it  plain, 
now  you've  got  t'  do  's  I  say. 


172  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  n 

PHIL. 

Looking  at  him. 

Oh,  I  unde'stand. 

NOYES. 
Gently. 

I  wondah  if  you  realize  what  all  this  means.  It 
means  that  you  ain't  nobody  —  strictly  speakin'. 
Yo'  property,  "Morrow's  Rest,"  eve'ythin'  you 
inherited,  belong  by  rights  to  me.  Why,  you  ain't 
even  got  yo'  name.  Can  you  grasp  it,  oP  man  ? 

PHIL. 
Dazed. 

Wait  —  I  —  (with  an  odd  smile)  —  it'll  take  a  long 
time  — 

NOYES. 
Going  on. 

Now  I  don'  want  t'  use  an  unfair  advantage,  Phil 
-  that  ain't  my  style  !  You  kin  keep  everythin' 
an'  I'll  nevah  let  on  a  wo'd  —  not  a  single  wo'd, 
s'elp  me  Gawd !  —  if  you'll  jes'  do  this  one  li'lle 
thing  fo'  me  ! 

PHIL. 
What's  that? 

NOYES. 
Veto  the  Long  Bill. 


UNIVERSITY 

OF 


ACT  n]  THE   NIGGER  173 

PHIL. 
Irritably. 

Clif  ,  I  can't  talk  about  that  now  —  I  — 

NOYES. 
Gently. 

I  know  you've  had  a  knock-out,  Phil,  but  this  is 
too  important  to  slip  by.  —  Now  I  don'  want  yo' 
property  —  although  by  the  law  it's  mine  already 
—  I'm  not  sayin'  anythin'  'bout  yo'  claim  to  the 
inheritance  that's  made  you  what  you  are.  I'm 
not  sayin'  that  if  things  had  been  as  they  should 
be,  I'd  stand  heah  a  different  man  ! 

His  emotions  rising  at  the  thought. 

If  I  hadn't  sweated  blood  fo'  ev'ry  dollah  I've 
ea'ned,  d'you  think  I  couldn't  'a'  done  a  few 
things  myself  ?  Oh,  I'm  not  grudgin'  you  'em  ! 
But  if  I  sta'ted  life  with  what  was  really  mine, 
I  reckon  now  I'd  have  as  much  as  you  —  I 
reckon  Pd  be  looked  up  to  by  the  South  !  I'd 
be  the  man  to  marry  Miss  Geo'gie  !  I  — 

PHIL. 

Pulling  himself  together. 

Theah's  no  use  talkin',  Clif.  I  won't  veto  the 
Long  Bill. 


174  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  n 

NOYES. 
Come  now,  you  — 

PHIL. 

Whatevah  I  am,  I'm  Gove'noh  o'  this  State  an7 
bound  t'  do  my  best  by  the  job  —  no  mattah  what 
happens  —  no  mattah  what  happens  — 

NOYES. 
Slowly  growing  angry. 

I've  tried  to  be  decent  t'  you,  Phil,  but  yo'  makin' 
it  right  ha'd  ! 

PHIL. 

I  know  what  yo'  aftah  !  You  think  you've  got  the 
screws  on  me !  Well,  you'd  bettah  not  count  on 
that  —  unde'stand  ? 

NOYES. 
Calmly. 

Phil,  I  don't  think  you  quite  realize  what  a  nice 
big  bust-up  it'd  be  if  people  knew  they  had  a 
niggah  Gove'noh  ! 

PHIL. 

So  yo'  tryin'  to  make  me  veto  that  Bill,  even  though 
I  know  prohibition's  the  right  thing  ? 


ACT  n]  THE   NIGGER  175 

NOYES. 

I  ce'tainly  am  lookin'  in  that  direction. 

PHIL. 

Furiously. 

Well,  I  won't  do  it !  If  I'm  a  niggah  myself,  that's 
all  the  mo'  reason  I  should  help  the  othah  niggahs  ! 

NOYES. 
Black  with  rage. 

It  is,  is  it  ?    Not  if  - 

Controlling  himself  with  a  great  effort. 

Phil,  undah  the  ci'cumstances,  you  cain't  be  ex 
pected  t'  see  things  in  theah  right  light.  You  need 
time  t'  think  'em  ovah.  That  Bill  '11  be  sent  up 
to  you  Friday.  I'll  call  that  afte'noon.  Theah's 
three  days  to  come  to  yo'  senses.  How's  that  ? 

PHIL. 

Laughing  almost  hysterically. 

Three  days  —  oh,  that's  good,  that  is  ! 

NOYES. 
I'm  right  sorry  fo'  you,  Phil,  but  if  you  give  in 


THE   NIGGER 


[ACT  ii 


jes'  this  once,  things'll  go  's  smooth  's  if  nothin' 
had  evah  happened. 

PHIL. 

Wait !    Some  one's  comin' ! 
There  is  a  brief  pause. 

Barrington  appears  at  the  doorway,  a  telegram  in  his 
hand. 

BARRINGTON. 

Excuse  me,  suh,  but  heah's  a  wire  from  Colonel 
Knapp.  They've  caught  the  mawnin'  express  an' 
they'll  be  heah  at  eleven  eighteen. 


PHIL. 


Oh  —  will  they  —  ? 


BARRINGTON. 

He  says  he'll  come  directly  to  you,  suh,  fo'  instruc 
tions. 

PHIL. 
Eleven  eighteen  — 

Glancing  at  watch. 

That's  pretty  soon  now.     Be  at  the  station  with 


ACT  n]  THE   NIGGER  177 

the  moto'  an'  bring  him  up  heah  's  quick  as  you 
can.    We  don't  want  t'  lose  a  second  ! 

There  is  heard  outside  the  approaching  sound  of  the  same 
little  party  of  drunken  rioters  who  passed  at  the  begin 
ning  of  the  act. 

BARRINGTON. 

You  won't,  suh,  if  I'm  drivin'  that  cah  ! 
He  goes  to  the  window. 

PHIL. 

Calmly. 

Good-by,  Clif. 

NOYES. 

S'  long,  Phil.     See  you  Friday. 
He  goes  out. 

BARRINGTON. 

At  the  window. 

Heah  comes  that  same  crowd,  suh,  that  frightened 
the  ladies. 

The  noise  advances. 

Phil  stands  silent  and  quiet. 

The  mob  stops,  yelling,  in  front  of  the  house. 

I'm  blamed  if  theah  not  a-tryin'  t'  cheer  you  !  — 
the  slight  difficulty  bein'  they  can't  yell  an'  stand 


178  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  n 

up  at  the  same  time.  Some  choose  one  an'  some 
the  othah.  Deah  me  !  How  touchin'  is  the  devo 
tion  of  the  lowah  classes  —  especially  when  they'ah 
drunk ! 

There  is  an  outburst  in  the  street,  punctuated  by  revolver 
shots. 

PHIL. 

What  are  they  firm'  at  ? 

BARRINGTON. 

Nothin'  pa'ticulah.  It's  jus'  the  pure,  sweet 
playfulness  an'  childlike  enthusiasm  brought  on 
by  mixin'  bad  whiskey  with  beer  —  that's  all ! 

Georgie  appears  at  the  door,  pale  and  quiet.    She  has 
taken  off  her  hat. 

GEORGIE. 
At  the  door. 

Phil  —  ? 

Phil  starts  at  the  sound  of  her  voice  and  turns  to  her. 

PHIL. 
Yes,  deah  ? 

GEORGIE. 

Those  men  outside  —  is  theah  any  dangah? 
Ought  I  to  wake  mothah  ?  She's  in  the  back  room 
and  hasn't  hea'd. 


ACT  n]  THE   NIGGER  179 

PHIL. 

Gently. 

No,  they'ah  jus'  drunk,  Geo'gie.  An'  anyway, 
they  like  me  too  well  t'  break  my  windows. 

BARRINGTON. 

Coming  from  the  window  with  a  laugh. 

They'ah  movin'  on.  —  Don't  you  get  scared  now, 
Miss  Byrd.  Yo'  as  safe  heah  as  you  would  be  in 
State's  Prison ! 

GEORGIE. 

Oh,  I'm  not  scared  —  it  was  only  fo'  mothah 
that  I  — 

PHIL. 

You  haven't  been  able  to  sleep  ? 

GEORGIE. 
I  tried,  but  —  I  couldn't. 

PHIL. 
Then  come  in.    I  have  somethin'  to  tell  you. 

GEORGIE. 
Smiling. 

It  mus'  be  impo'tant  —  to  take  up  yo'  time  now  ! 


i8o  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  n 

PHIL. 
It  is. 

To  Barrington. 

Barrington,  drop  in  at  P'lice  Headqua'tahs  on  yo' 
way  to  the  station  an7  see  if  Tilton's  thrown  out 
ev'ry  niggah  on  the  fo'ce  —  I  don't  care  how  light 
his  color  is  or  how  badly  he's  needed. 

BARRINGTON. 

And  shall  I  bring  the  Colonel  up  heah  as  soon  as 
he  comes  ? 

PHIL. 

Yes  —  an'  theah's  no  speed  law  when  the  city's 
riotin',  either. 

BARRINGTON. 

Then  heah's  wheah  I  bust  loose !  I  only  hope  I 
get  him  heah  alive  !  See  you  latah,  Miss  Byrd  ! 

PHIL. 

Oh,  Barrington,  did  Senatoh  Long  answah  my 
message  ? 

BARRINGTON. 

Theah  !  I  knew  I'd  fo'gotten  somethin' !  —  He 
said  he'd  call  this  evenin'  at  seven. 


ACT  n]  THE   NIGGER  181 

PHIL. 
Then  put  it  down  on  my  list.    That's  all  now. 

BARRINGTON. 

Very  well,  suh.     Good-by  ! 
He  bows  to  Georgie  and  goes  out. 

PHIL. 

Closing  the  sliding  doors. 
Sit  down,  deah.     I'm  afraid  yo'  neahly  done  up. 

GEORGIE. 

Senatoh  Long  coming  to  see  you?  Why,  that 
isn't  the  old  prohibitionist,  is  it  ? 

PHIL. 
That's  the  one. 

GEORGIE. 

I  hope  yo'  not  cultivating  the  man's  acquaintance, 
Phil.  You  know  he'll  use  it  against  you  latah 
on! 

She  is  half  smiling,  half  serious. 

PHIL. 
I  must,  deah. 


182  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  n 

GEORGIE. 

Now,  Phil,  yo'  too  kind  to  these  people !  Oh,  I 
know  — !  An7  aftah  all  he's  done  to  you !  — 
Ugh  !  —  What  is  it  they  caU  him  ?  "The  White 
Niggah?" 

PHIL. 
After  a  slight  pause. 

The  reason  I've  got  to  see  him,  Geo'gie,  is  b'cause 
I've  gone  ovah  to  his  side  on  the  Prohibition  Bill. 

GEORGIE. 
What? 

PHIL. 

It's  the  only  way  in  which  we  can  safely  attack 
the  niggah  problem.  My  deah,  it's  got  to  come. 

GEORGIE. 
But  Phil  - 

PHIL. 

I  know  you  don'  like  the  idea  o'  my  changin', 
honey,  but  you  wouldn't  want  me  to  hold  on  to 
somethin'  I  didn't  believe  --  jus'  to  seem  con 
sistent  ? 


ACT  n]  THE   NIGGER  183 

GEORGIE. 
Aghast. 

It's  not  that!  It's  — it's  he!  Why,  you  know 
what  he  stands  fo' !  He  has  negroes  in  his  house 
—  he  calls  on  their  wives  —  he  treats  them  just 
as  he  would  you  an'  me  —  !  The  very  idea  of  it 
somehow  —  Oh  !  —  Phil,  yo'  not  goin'  to  take 
up  with  a  —  a  man  like  that? 

PHIL. 
I  can't  help  it,  deah. 

GEORGIE. 
Revolted. 

If  you  don't  look  out,  they'll  be  calling  you  that 
same  thing. 

PHIL. 
What? 

GEORGIE. 
"White  Niggah!" 

There  is  a  brief  pause;  then,  impulsively. 

Oh,  Phil,  I  couldn't  beah  it !  You  know  how  I 
feel! 

There  is  another  pause. 


i84  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  n 

PHIL. 
Harshly,  as  he  turns  away. 

Geo'gie,  I  wanted  to  see  you  b'cause  I  have  some- 
thin'  —  very  unpleasant  —  to  tell  you.  P'raps 
I  ought  to  wait  an'  think  it  ovah  b'fo'  I  say  any- 
thin'.  But  you've  got  to  know  sometime  —  an' 
if  I  put  it  off  my  ne've  might  go  back  on  me. 

GEORGIE. 
In  a  different  tone. 

What  is  it,  Phil? 

PHIL. 

You  must  break  our  engagement,  Geo'gie  —  right 
away. 

A  slight  pause. 

GEORGIE. 

I  don't  see  the  joke. 
She  tries  to  smile. 

PHIL. 
I  reckon  theah  isn't  any  joke,  deah. 

GEORGIE. 
What's  the  mattah  ? 


ACT  n]  THE   NIGGER  185 

PHIL. 

I've  decided  that  we  nevah  could  make  each  othah 

happy. 

Quickly. 

Oh,  I'm  not  thinkin'  'bout  myself !  —  It's  all  fo' 

you,  Geo'gie,  an'  — 

GEORGIE. 

Yo'  keeping  something  back.  And  you've  got  to 
tell  me,  Phil,  it's  my  right  —  it's  any  girl's  right ! 

PHIL. 
I  can't,  honey  — 

A  pause. 

GEORGIE. 

Almost  whispering. 

I've  offended  you  somehow,  but  — 

PHIL. 
No,  you  haven't,  deah  —  that's  ridiculous  ! 

GEORGIE. 
With  a  little  cry  and  movement  towards  him. 

Phil,  I  didn't  mean  it !  I  wouldn't  do  anything 
in  the  wo'ld  to  hu't  you  —  I  love  you  so  much 
that  — 


186  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  n 

PHIL. 
Stop  it,  Geo'gie  —  don't ! 

GEORGIE. 

I  know !  —  it  was  because  I  was  shocked  at  yo' 
goin'  ovah  to  that  man.    Deah,  I  don't  —  really 
mind.     I    know    yo'    doing    the    right    thing  - 
because  you  couldn't  do  anything  else,  an'  — 

PHIL. 

Half  under  his  breath. 

I  can't  stand  this  — 

GEORGIE. 
Fo'give  me,  honey,  won't  you  ? 

PHIL. 
Pulling  himself  together. 

Don't  be  foolish,  Geo'gie,  if  you  can  help  it !    It's 
—  not  you  —  it's  —  it's  —  me! 

GEORGIE. 
After  a  pause,  quietly. 

I  see.    You've  stopped  loving  me.     I'm  sorry  — 
She  turns  blindly  towards  the  door. 


ACT  n]  THE   NIGGER  187 

PHIL. 
Controlling  an  impulse  to  take  her  in  his  arms. 

Stopped  lovin'  you  ?  If  I  only  had,  it  would  be 
a  million  times  easiah  fo'  both  of  us !  But  I 
haven't,  Georgie  —  I  haven't  — 

GEORGEE. 
Terrified. 

Then  why  don't  you  tell  me  what  it  is  ? 
As  he  looks  at  her. 
Oh,  Phil,  I'm  afraid  ! 

PHIL. 
After  another  pause. 

I  will  tell  you.  —  Only  —  it's  a  ha'd  thing  to  say. 
Please  sit  down. 

He  hands  a  chair  for  her,  which  she  takes. 

GEORGIE. 
Go  on,  Phil. 

PHIL. 

Slowly,  selecting  his  words. 

Just  now  you  called  Senatoh  Long  "The  White 
Niggah."  ' 


i88  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  H 

GEORGIE. 
Looking  at  him. 

Every  one  does.     It's  only  his  nickname. 

PHIL. 
Well,  pretty  soon  people  '11  be  callin'  me  that  — 

GEORGIE. 
Quickly. 

I  don't  mind,  Phil !    Truly  I  don't ! 

PHIL. 
An'  it  won't  be  a  nickname  —  it'll  be  the  truth. 

A  pause,  during  which  they  look  at  each  other  silently. 
Then  he  turns  away}  unable  to  endure  her  eyes  any 
longer. 

GEORGIE. 
Phil,  I  don't  think  I  unde'stand  —  quite  — 

PHIL. 

I  know  it's  ha'd  to  grasp.    It  —  it  took  me  some 
time  myself. 

GEORGIE. 
Why  should  they  really  call  you  —  that  ? 


ACT  n]  THE   NIGGER  189 

PHIL. 

I'm  afraid  it's  because  I  am  one,  deah. 
A  pause. 

GEORGIE. 

Conventionally. 

Phil,  don't  be  absu'd  ! 

PHIL. 

Now  listen.  I'll  try  to  be  sho't  an'  plain.  My 
gran'mothah  Morrow  died  when  her  son  was 
bawn,  an'  the  son  died,  too.  Gran'fathah  was  on 
the  point  o'  joinin'  the  a'my  in  Mexico  —  you  know 
he  was  killed  down  theah  —  an' t'  keep  "Morrow's 
Rest"  from  goin'  ovah  to  the  Noyes  side  o'  the 
family,  he  took  his  quadroon  gal's  baby  an'  said 
it  was  his  wife's.  You  see,  she  was  dead  an' 
couldn't  exactly  deny  it. 

GEORGIE. 

What  —  ? 

PHIL. 
Whose  tone  is  perfectly  business-like. 

The  quadroon  gal  was  Mammy  Jinny's  sistah. 
He  sold  her  down  the  rivah  t'  get  her  out  of  the 


igo  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  n 

way  —  you  see,  it's  a  nasty  business !  Fathah 
-  well,  fathah  was  her  son.  Clif  Noyes  found  a 
lettah  that  she  wrote,  an'  it  set  him  on  the  track, 
an'  heah  —  jus'  now  —  mammy  let  out  the  whole 
thing.  So  you  see  —  what  I  am  —  (he  is  drumming 
on  the  desk  with  a  pencil)  —  an'  I  reckon  that's 
why  we've  got  to  break  off  the  engagement. 

Meanwhile,  the  sound  of  a  military  band  playing  "The 
Stars  and  the  Stripes"  is  heard  far  away,  gradually 
growing  nearer. 

GEORGIE. 

Staring  at  him  in  stony  astonishment. 
I  don't  believe  it. 

PHIL. 

Neither  did  I.  But  Clif  showed  me  her  lettah  — 
he'd  wuhked  it  all  out  —  an'  then,  you  know  — 
mammy  — 

GEORGIE. 
I  don't  believe  it. 

PHIL. 
My  deah,  I  wish  to  God  you  didn't  have  to ! 

GEORGIE. 

Tossing  her  head  in  agony. 
I  say,  I  don't  believe  it ! 


ACT  n]  THE  NIGGER  191 

PHIL. 

Suddenly  clinching  his  hands. 
D'you  think  I'd  tell  you  if  it  weren't  the  truth  ? 

GEORGIE. 

Gasping. 

You  mean  that  yo'  a  — 

,' 

PHIL. 
Quickly. 

Don't  say  it,  please. 

GEORGIE. 
A  negro  —  / 

PHIL. 
Geo'gie ! 

GEORGIE. 
Burying  her  face  in  her  hands  with  a  cry. 

Oh  —  ! 

PHIL. 
With  wild  passion. 

Geo'gie,  I  can't  break  it  off  —  I  thought  I  could, 
but  I  can't !  Why,  I'm  the  same  as  I  was  b'fo'  — 
I  haven't  changed  a  mite  —  I'm  the  man  you've 
been  in  love  with  all  these  yeahs.  I  tell  you  I'm 


192  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  n 

white  —  I'm  all  Morrow  —  theah's  ha'dly  a  drop 
o'  the  othah !  We'll  hush  it  up  —  you  love  me 

—  we'll  go  right  on  as  if  nothin'  had  happened 

—  it's  been  kept  all  this  time  —  it'll  go  onbein' 
kept.     Oh,  I'll  arrange  with  Clif  —  an'  mammy'll 
nevah  tell — Honey  ! — Geo'gie  !  heah's  the  chance 
to  show  how  much  you  care  —  an'  you'll  take 
it,  —  yes,  you  will !  —  Love's  the  only  thing  to 
carry  us  across,  an',  thank  God  !  it's  goin'  to  ! 

GEORGIE. 
No  —  don't  — ! 

PHIL. 

It's  all  right  —  you  love  me  an'  it's  all  right ! 
Nothin'  in  the  wo'ld  can  stop  us  now  —  my  pre 
cious  —  my  little  precious  —  my  .wife  — 

By  this  time  he  has  her  in  his  arms  and  is  kissing  her 
frantically. 

Georgie,  with  a  scream,  tears  away,  flinging  herself  in 
the  big  chair  — front-left  —  where  she  buries  her  face 
against  the  sides. 

Geo'gie,  yo'  not  goin'  back  on  me  ?    No,  yo'  not 

—  I  won't  let  you  — 

He  tries  to  secure  her  hand. 


ACT  n]  THE  NIGGER  193 

GEORGIE. 

Shrinking  in  disgust. 

Let  go  —  keep  away  — 

PHIL. 
What  d'you  mean  ? 

GEORGIE. 

Losing  control  of  herself. 

Stop  it !    Don't  come  neah  me  — 

PHIL. 
Geo'gie,  what  are  you  doin'  ? 

GEORGIE. 

In  a  paroxysm  of  nervous  horror. 
Let  me  go  !  —  Stop  it !    Stop  it,  I  say  ! 

She  tries  to  run  for  the  door,  but  he  reaches  it  first  and 
blocks  her  way. 

PHIL. 
Beside  himself,  uttering  a  cry. 

A-ah  !  Yo'  jus'  like  all  the  othahs  !  —  You Ve 
twisted  me  round  yo'  fingah  fo'  the  fun  of  it  — 
God  in  Heaven,  why  couldn't  I  have  seen  the  truth 


194  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  n 

when  you  lay  in  my  a'ms  an'  looked  up  at  me  an' 
said  —  "I  love  you  —  Nobody's  evah  loved  any 
one  the  way  I  love  you  —  !"  If  I'd  only  known 
—  if  I'd  only  felt  theah  was  nothin'  but  lies  in  yo' 
smiles  an'  yo'  kisses  — 

GEORGIE. 
Screaming. 

Oh! 

She  covers  her  ears,  but  he  seizes  her  hands  in  both  of 
his,  and  holds  them  tight.    She  cowers  before  him. 

PHIL. 

Swept  on. 

An'  that's  the  love  you  were  always  talkin'  about ! 
I  thought  it  was  the  biggest  thing  on  ea'th  —  an' 
now  wheah  is  it  ?  You  po',  shallow  little  creature, 
how  do  you  dare  say  the  wo'd  ?  Yes,  you  can  stand 
heah  an'  shake  an'  shuddah,  but  my  gran'mothah 
-  d'you  heah  ?  —  my  niggah  gran'mothah  —  that 
quadroon  slave  gal !  —  could  have  given  you  points 
right  an'  left  how  to  play  the  game  !  She  passed 
up  her  child  an'  her  life  —  she  went  to  hell  without 
a  sound  — an'  her  last  wo'ds  to  the  man  that  made 
her  do  it  were  —  "I  love  you  !  " 


ACT  n]  THE   NIGGER  195 

GEORGIE. 

With  another  cry. 

A  — ah! 

She  tries  desperately  to  get  away  from  him. 

PHIL. 

Gathering  her  to  him  in  spite  of  her  struggles. 

No,  I  didn't  mean  that,  da'lin'  —  I  don't  know 
what  I'm  sayin'  —  fo'give  me  —  Geo'gie  —  you 
gotteh  fo'give  me  —  you  won't  go  back  on  me  — 
you  won't  leave  me  —  don't  —  fo'  Christ's  sake  — 
Geo'gie  — / 

Just  here  there  is  a  knock  on  the  door,  and  it  is  immediately 
opened  by  Barrington,  who  stands  ready  to  show  in 
Colonel  Knapp  and  two  other  officers  in  his  regiment. 
As  the  doors  are  opened ,  Phil  lets  Georgie  go.  She 
rushes  past  the  men  —  who  stand  back  with  an  "Excuse 
me"  For  a  moment,  unseen  by  the  others,  Phil 
chokes,  then,  with  a  supreme  e/ort,  controls  himself 
and  faces  the  Colonel  as  the  latter  smilingly  enters  the 
room. 

BARRINGTON. 
Heah's  the  Colonel,  suh  ! 


196  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  n 

COLONEL  KNAPP. 
Cordially. 

His  Excellency?    Well,  I  reckon  yo'  right  glad  to 
see  us ! 

Shaking  hands. 

Now,  I  think  if  I  know  briefly  what  pa'ts  o'  the 
city  are  givin'  the  mos'  trouble,  we  can  — 

And,  as  he  speaks, 

THE    CURTAIN   FALLS 


ACT  III 


ACT  III 

The  private  office  of  the  Governor  at  the  Capitol,  February 
26th,  afternoon.  It  is  an  official-looking,  handsome 
room,  high-ceilinged,  light,  and  airy,  furnished  with 
quiet  luxury.  It  suggests  throughout  the  presence  of 
the  State. 

At  the  right  is  a  large,  highly  carved,  white  marble  fire 
place  and  mantel-shelf,  over  which  hangs  a  portrait 
of  a  former  statesman.  There  is  a  fire  burning  quietly 
in  the  grate.  Along  the  back  are,  at  regular  intervals, 
three  long,  round-topped  French  windows,  opening 
out  upon  a  narrow,  formal  balcony,  which  seems  to 
run  the  whole  length  of  the  room  outside  and  has  a 
conventional  balustrade  of  decorated  ironwork.  On 
these  windows  are  stately,  looped-up  curtains  and 
lambrequins  of  claret-colored  brocade.  Through  them 
can  be  seen  a  few  glimpses  of  the  tops  of  trees  and, 
beyond,  the  roofs  of  the  city.  —  The  Capitol  thus  stands 
upon  an  eminence.  — At  the  left  are  large,  old-fash 
ioned  double  doors  with  glass  door  knobs,  opening  in. 

The  woodwork  of  the  room  is  black  walnut,  highly  pol 
ished.  There  is  a  walnut  wainscot;  a  grey,  imitation 
"marble"  paper;  and  then  a  cove.  The  ceiling  is 
199 


200  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  m 

elaborate  stucco;  from  its  centre  hangs  a  huge  crystal 
chandelier.  The  carpet  is  claret-colored  and  com 
pletely  covers  the  floor. 

Near  the  centre  is  a  large,  rectangular,  black-walnut  desk, 
flat-topped.  On  it  are  arranged,  in  an  orderly  way, 
files  of  letters,  papers,  heavy  elaborate  inkstand,  etc. 
The  telephone  seems  almost  out  of  place  in  this  atmos 
phere,  but  it  is  there,  nevertheless.  Facing  the  desk 
is  a  black-walnut  arm-chair;  there  is  another  chair 
on  the  opposite  side.  Halfway,  facing  the  fireplace, 
is  an  old-fashioned  black-walnut  sofa.  Between  the 
windows,  back  to  wall,  are  two  black-walnut  chairs. 
The  upholstery  is  claret-colored  throughout.  On 
either  side  of  the  double  doors  are  portraits  of  former 
governors  —  very  proud,  clasping  rolls  of  paper,  with 
thunder-storms  imminent  in  background. 

As  the  curtain  rises  Phil,  wearing  a  frock-coat,  is  seated 
at  the  desk  going  over  a  large  pile  of  correspondence. 
Barrington  is  seated  opposite  him,  across  the  desk, 
note-book  in  hand. 

PHIL. 
Opening  a  letter  and  glancing  over  it. 

Dedicatin'  the  new  college  at  Palme'sville  —  want 
me  t'  give  an  address  —  h'm  —  ! 

BARRINGTON. 
When  is  it,  suh  ? 


ACT  m]  THE  NIGGER  201 

PHIL. 
April  the  eighth. 

BARRINGTON. 

Taking  the  letter. 

Oh,  yes!     Coin' t'  doit? 

PHIL. 

I  don't  know.  I'm  not  sho'  whethah  I  approve  o' 
niggah  colleges. 

HARRINGTON. 

You  used  t'  be  right  sho'  you  didn't,  suh  !  'Mem- 
bah  when  — 

PHIL. 

Interrupting. 

File  that  till  Monday.  I'll  make  up  my  mind 
befo'  then.  —  Lawd,  what  a  bunch  o'  mail ! 

BARRINGTON. 
Accumulated  some  durin'  the  riots. 

PHIL. 

Well,  it's  lucky  they  didn't  last  much  longah ! 
As  it  is,  it'll  take  us  a  good  week  t'  catch  up  with 
aU  this. 

Opening  another. 


202  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  m 

Heah's  the  Courant  again  ! 

He  redds. 

BARRINGTON. 

Chuckling. 

Millah  toF  me  this  mawnin'  that  the  papah  would 
make  a  little  jou'ney  to  the  home  o'  the  receivah 
in  lessen  a  month.  Theah  stock's  doin'  a  sub 
marine  act  —  nevah  once  comin'  up  t'  breathe. 

PHIL. 

Theah  beggin'  me  t7  quit  writin  messages  'bout 
'em  t'  the  othah  papahs.  Down  on  theah  ham- 
bones,  are  they?  Well,  I  reckon  the  city  knows 
wheah  t'  lay  a  good  big  share  o'  blame  fo'  all  this 
cyclone ! 

Tossing  over  the  letter. 

Teah  that  up.  Theah's  no  answah.  What  time 
is  it? 

BARRINGTON. 

Glancing  at  the  clock  over  Phil's  shoulder. 
Neahly  half  aftah  three,  suh. 

PHIL. 
Pushing  back  the  mail. 

We'll  stop  till  t'-morrow.  My  head's  gettin'  soft. 
Let's  see  —  what  train  are  the  troops  leavin'  on  ? 


ACT  m]  THE  NIGGER  203 

BARRINGTON. 
The  five  fifteen,  suh. 

PHIL. 

Then  I'll  be  havin'  a  call  from  Colonel  Knapp 
b'fo'  that.     Many  people  outside  ? 

BARRINGTON. 
'Bout  ten,  suh.    No  one  important,  except  — 

PHIL. 

Interrupting. 

Send  'em  off,  then.    I'll  be  busy  the  rest  o'  the 
afte'noon  with  appointments. 

BARRINGTON. 

What  about  Mr.  Noyes,  suh?    He  says  he  tol' 
you  he  was  comin'  to-day. 

PHIL. 
You've  asked  him  to  wait  ? 

BARRINGTON. 
Yes,  suh,  but  — 


204  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  in 

PHIL. 
As  he  hesitates. 

Well? 

BARRINGTON. 

He  didn't  —  exactly  —  jump  up  an'  down  fo'  — 
joy  at  the  prospect,  suh.  In  fact  his  tempah 
seemed  a  trifle  strained.  He's  rollin'  his  eyes 
an'  frothin'  at  the  mouth  till  I  wanted  t'  send  out 
fo'  a  bib  —  or  a  plumbah  ! 

PHIL. 

I'll  see  him  latah  on.  Wheah's  the  Long  Bill? 
I  thought  I  — 

He  searches  about. 

Oh,  theah  it  is !  I  want  t'  look  ovah  it  again 
b'fo'  signin'.  Now,  when  the  Senatoh  comes,  bring 
him  right  in. 

BARRINGTON. 

Gathering  up  his  note-books,  letters,  etc.     t 
All  right,  suh.     Anythin'  mo'? 

PHIL. 
Looking  at  his  desk  pad. 

No  —  wait,  yes,  theah  is. 

He  rummages  among  the  papers  on  the  desk  again. 


ACT  m]  THE   NIGGER  205 

Heah's  a  list  o'  six  o'  the  mos'  prominent  niggahs 
in  the  city  —  what  are  you  grinnin'  at? 

BARRINGTON. 

No  thin',  suh.     Six  o7  the  mos'  prominent  niggahs 
-  that's  aU. 

PHIL. 

I  reckon  theah's  no  reason  why  a  niggah  shouldn't 
be  prominent,  is  theah  ?  Anyway,  heah  they  are, 
an'  I  want  you  t'  write  askin'  'em  t'  meet  Senatoh 
Wheelright  an'  Speakah  Evans  an'  me,  heah  in  my 
office,  t'-morrow  at  ten. 

BARRINGTON. 

Taking  the  list. 

A'bitration  with  niggahs?  I  reckon  that's  a 
depa'ture ! 

PHIL. 

The  mo'  a'bitration,  the  less  riotin'  —  that's 
mighty  cleah  t'  me,  at  any  rate ! 

THE  DOORKEEPER. 
Appearing. 

Senatoh  Long,  suh,  an'  he  says  he  has  an  appoint 
ment. 


2o6  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  m 

PHIL. 
All  right. 

To  Harrington. 

Show  him  in,  will  you?    An'  then  see  we're  not 
distu'bed. 

BARRINGTON. 

Yes,  suh. 

He  follows  the  doorkeeper  out. 

Left  to  himself,  Phil  presses  his  hand  slowly  over  his  eyes 
—  a  gesture  of  utter  despair  and  fatigue.     He  sits  this 
way  a  moment,  motionless.     Then,  as  the  doors  open 
again,  he  removes  his  hand  quickly  and  rises. 

The  doorkeeper  is  seen  showing  in  Senator  Thomas 
R.  Long,  who  is  a  tall,  gaunt,  bent  man  of  about  fifty 
or  more.  He  has  a  weary,  furrowed  face,  deep  eyes; 
he  is  dressed  rather  carelessly  in  a  rusty  old  frock-coat 
and  black  trousers,  low  collar,  and  small  black  bow-tie. 
His  hands  are  brown  and  big.  His  whole  face  lights 
up  when  he  smiles.  He  comes  forward  with  an  awk 
ward  gait  to  meet  Phil,  who  also  advances.  They 
shake  hands. 

LONG. 

Good  mawnin',  suh.     I  hope  I  find  you  well? 

PHIL. 
Thanks,  Senatoh.     I  reckon  I'm  all  right. 


ACT  m]  THE  NIGGER  207 

LONG. 

Yo'  lookin'  so'c  o'  done  up,  an'  I  don't  wondah ! 
Now  you've  ended  this  trouble,  you  mus'  take 
care  o'  yo'self,  suh.  Yo'  gettin'  t'  be  a  heap  sight 
too  impo'tant  a  man  t'  play  six-handed  euchah 
with  yo'  health ! 

PHIL. 

Smiling. 

I  haven't  slept  much  the  las'  three  nights  —  an' 
then,  as  you  say,  I've  been  conside'able  busy  in 
the  day-time.  Sit  down,  Senatoh. 

LONG. 

Sitting. 

No  sleep  means  eithah  worryin'  like  the  devil  or 
fallin'  in  love.  Now  yo'  in  love  already,  ain't 
you  ?  So  it  mus'  be^ worry.  What's  the  mattah  ? 

PHIL. 
I'm  well  —  it's  this  way,  Senatoh. 

During  the  following  he  takes  a  box  of  cigars  from  the 
desk  drawer,  gives  one  to  the  Senator,  and  lights  it. 

You  remembah  our  talk  las'  Wednesday  night  ? 


208  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  in 

LONG. 
I  sho'ly  do.  — 

As  he  takes  a  cigar  and  chuckles. 

Say,  these  look  mighty  rich  fo'  an  oP  man  who's 
smoked  nothin'  but  stogies  all  his  life,  but  I'll 
have  a  try  —  well? 

PHIL. 

Well,  you  toF  me  such  a  lot  that  I'd  nevah  hea'd 
b'fo'  —  you  got  me  all  mixed  up.  Evah  since, 
I've  been  goin'  round  with  a  whole  new  set  of 
ideas  buzzin'  in  the  back  o'  my  head,  an'  now  that 
I've  got  a  little  time,  I  want  you  t'  finish. 

LONG. 

Well,  suh,  when  you  tol'  me  you  was  goin'  t'  pass 
my  Prohibition  Bill,  'stead  o'  vetoin'  it  quicker'n 
a  wink,  I  was  plumb  knocked  out !  'Cause  I 
always  thought  you  was  one  o'  them  nose-in-the- 
air-niggah-hatahs  that  — 

PHIL. 
Interrupting. 

I  was,  Senatoh,  an'  I  reckon  I  am  still.  But  the 
riots  taught  me  somethin'  was  clean  wrong  with 


ACT  m]  THE  NIGGER  209 

the  system.  Prohibition  seemed  a  step  in  a  good 
direction,  an'  then  —  othah  things  came  up  — 
an'  —  an'  —  Senatoh,  I  want  t'  do  the  right  thing  ! 
Only  sometimes  it's  ha'd  t'  see  jus'  what  that 
is  !  So  I've  sent  f o'  you  t'  help  me,  suh,  —  if  you 
can. 

LONG. 

Kindly. 

What's  the  trouble,  son  ? 

PHIL. 

Not  looking  at  him. 

I  don't  want  t'  hate  the  niggahs.  I'd  like  t'  feel 
about  'em  the  same  as  you  do.  But  —  you  see 
I  was  bawn  an'  brought  up  the  othah  way,  an' 
somehow  I  can't  shake  it  off.  But  these  las' 
three  days,  I  —  well,  I've  felt  that  if  I  didn't, 
somethin'  inside  o'  me  would  just  catch  fire  an' 
bu'n  me  clean  up ! 

LONG. 

Judicially. 

You  ce'tainly  need  sleep,  young  man ! 

PHIL. 

It  sounds  foolish,  don't  it?  But  I  always  did 
take  responsibility  pretty  ha'd ! 


210  THE  NIGGER  [ACT 

LONG. 

All  you've  got  t'  do,  son,  is  fall  in  line.  Theah's 
no  good  tryin'  t'  stop  a  big  ocean  wave,  you  know, 
an'  you  might  jus'  as  well  do  that  as  stan'  up 
against  democracy  an'  humanity  an'  civilization 
—  an'  a  lot  of  othah  good  things  with  long  names. 
If  you  kep'  on  the  way  yo'  goin',  you  would  ce'- 
tainly  look  ridiculous  a  hundred  yeahs  from  now ! 
So  you  swim  with  the  wave  an'  jus'  see  how  fah 
up  the  beach  it'll  take  you.  Unde'stan'  ? 

PHIL. 

But  the  niggahs  —  you  know  how  they  are ! 
They  have  theah  chance  an'  then  don'  take  it. 
They'ah  free  —  they  can  do  what  they  please  — 

LONG. 

Free  —  /  Good  Lawd  !  You  can't  set  free  a  race 
o'  slaves  jus'  by  knockin'  off  theah  chains  !  That's 
the  fi'st  step,  o'  co'se,  but  the  real  wo'k's  got  t' 
come  latah. 

PHIL. 

I  reckon  you  want  t'  see  the  niggahs  votin'  — 
no,  I  can't  stand  fo'  that ! 


ACT  m]  THE  NIGGER  211 

LONG. 

If  ev'ry  intelligent  niggah  had  the  vote,  that  means 
he'd  have  a  right  powerful  lot  o'  self-respect,  too. 

PHIL. 

Intelligent!  But  they'ah  not!  They'ah  lazy, 
black  beasts  —  theah's  somethin'  wrong  with 
theah  brains  —  all  they  got  is  a  spinal  co'd ! 

LONG. 

Dryly. 

Eddicate  'em. 

PHIL. 

A  niggah  who  knows  Greek  an'  spo'ts  a  fancy 
waistcoat ! 

LONG. 

Lea'n  'em  how  t'  be  fa'mahs  an'  ca'pentahs  an' 
bricklayahs  —  I  mean  them  that  ain't  the  brain 
t'  be  doctahs  an'  lawyahs  an'  preachahs. 

PHIL. 

An'  then  who'll  be  left  to  plough  the  fields  an' 
pick  the  cotton? 


<•      TTT 


212  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  m 

LONG. 

Them  that's  too  lazy  t'  lea'n,  suh,  —  both  black 
an'  white.  Oh,  theah'll  be  enough,  don't  you  fret 
yo'self ! 

PHIL. 

But  a  sma't  niggah  —  that  don't  know  how  t'  keep 
his  place ! 

LONG. 

It  all  depends,  son,  on  what  his  place  is  —  a  stall 
nex'  do'  t'  the  bosses,  or  a  two-storied  frame 
house,  jus'  roun'  the  co'nah  from  a  chu'ch ! 

PHIL. 

Yo'  dead  wrong,  suh,  —  but  I  wish  t'  God  you 
weren't !  When  you  come  right  down  to't,  the 
niggah's  not  a  man,  he's  an  animal  —  he's  an 
African  savage  —  all  teeth  an'  claws  —  it's  mon 
key  blood  he's  got  in  him,  an'  you  can't  evah 
change  it  —  no,  not  in  a  thousan'  yeahs  ! 

LONG. 

Earnestly. 

Young  fellah,  don't  say  wo'ds  like  them,  not 
even  t'  yo'self  ?  They 'ah  wicked,  an'  what's  mo', 
they  ain't  true !  Ev'ry  niggah's  a  man.  You 


ACT  m]  THE  NIGGER  213 

an'  me  have  had  mo'  time  t'  push  ahead  -^  that's 
the  only  diff  'rence  between  us !  We're  all  men 
an'  we're  all  doin'  the  same  thing  —  stumblin' 
an'  fallin'  t'gethah,  on  our  jou'ney  t'  God.  So 
theah's  no  use  sayin'  the  las'  ranks  ain't  got  no 
business  t'  go  wheah  the  fi'st  are  leadin'  'em. 
I  reckon,  suh,  that  ain't  square  play ! 

PHIL. 
Bitterly. 

I  wondah  — ! 

LONG. 

Smiling. 

If  it  comes  t'  that,  sonny,  our  own  ancestohs  used 
theah  tails  an'  theah  feet  with  a  powe'ful  degree 
o'  fluency !  But  that  ain't  kept  us,  's  fah's  I  can 
see,  from  puttin'  on  all  the  airs  we  know  how ! 

PHIL. 

As  before. 

Then  it's  yo'  idea  —  the  niggahs  should  be  treated 
like  equals  ? 

LONG. 

A  few  —  but  that's  about  all !  Nevah  mind  — 
give  'em  time !  That  made  us,  an'  it'll  do  the 
same  fo'  them ! 


2i4  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  m 

PHIL. 
But  it  don't  help  much  now  —  does  it  ? 

LONG. 

Cheerfully. 

Go  'long,  sonny !  Why,  what'd  be  the  good  o' 
life  if  you  didn't  know  you  were  leavin'  behind 
the  things  you've  done?  I  tell  you,  we'ah  jes' 
se'vants  o'  the  comin'  generations  —  that's  all ! 
They'll  enjoy  ev'rythin'  we've  wo'ked  an'  thought 
an'  sufFd  t'  give  'em,  an'  they'll  wo'k  an'  think 
an'  suffah  fo'  theah  young  folks  —  an'  so  it  goes. 
An'  theah  ain't  no  end ! 


PHIL. 
After  a  brief  pause. 

That's  —  that's  a  fine  idea,  Senatoh. 


LONG. 

'Taint  an  idea  —  it's  the  ol'-fashioned  truth ! 
Why,  if  I  couldn't  shut  my  eyes  as  I  sit  heah, 
an'  look  way  off  —  hundreds  an'  hundreds  o'  yeahs 
—  an'  see  this  country  o'  mine  that  I've  fought 
f o'  all  my  life  holdin'  one  people  —  jes'  one  people 


ACT  m]  THE  NIGGER  215 

wo'kin'  shouldah  t'  shouldah  fo'  the  common 
good  an'  the  glory  o'  God  — 

As  he  opens  his  eyes  and  smiles. 

Well,  I  reckon  ev'ry  man  has  his  own  private 
little  Heaven,  an'  seein'  as  I  nevah  had  a  family, 
thinkin'  'bout  that  has  been  mine,  fo'  ovah  fo'ty 
yeahs ! 

PHIL. 

I'd  give  a  good  deal  t'  see  that  when  I  shut  my 
eyes! 

LONG. 

Smiling. 

Let  me  make  yoj  a  present  of  it,  young  fellah ! 
Don't  evah  fo'get  yo'  livin'  t'  make  that  dream 
come  true.  Only  it  ain't  a  dream  —  that's  the 
best  pa't  of  it  —  it's  as  real  as  —  as  you  an'  me  ! 

PHIL. 
Pause. 

It's  wonde'ful.  — 
Pause. 

But  it  seems  so't  of  fah  away,  don't  it  ?  I  mean, 
the  nice  pa't.  Theah's  nothin'  now  but  waitin' 
an'  hopin'. 


2i6  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  m 

LONG. 
An*  wo'kin'.    Don't  leave  that  out ! 

PHIL. 

But  I  want  somethin'  mo',  Senatoh.  I  want  t' 
get  t'  the  top  myself  —  I  want  t'  see  what  it's 
like  up  theah  !  I  can't  jus'  wait  an'  wo'k  ! 

LONG. 


Well,  I  should  say  fo'  a  young  fellah  you  had 
nothin'  t'  kick  about !  Gove'noh  o'  the  State, 
engaged  to  a  right  pretty  gal,  with  everythin'  — 

PHIL. 
Interrupting  quickly. 

I  know,  Senatoh,  I  know.  But  I  think  a  man 
ought  t'  carry  contentment  in  his  hea't  an'  in  his 
head  —  independent  o'  gove'nohs  an'  —  an'  girls, 
don't  you  ?  I  reckon  it's  safah. 

LONG. 
I  reckon  it  is,  sonny. 

PHIL. 

An'  that's  why  I  want  t'  make  up  my  mind  about 
the  niggahs  —  it's  weighin'  me  down  like  — 

He  is  unable  to  go  on. 


ACT  m]  THE   NIGGER  217 

LONG. 

Don't  let  it !    Remembah  it's  comin'  out  all  right 
—  soonah  or  latah  —  fast  or  slow  ! 

PHIL. 
In  inarticulate  emotion. 

How  — ?  — Why? 

LONG. 
Simply. 

When  yo'  as  ol'  as  me,  sonny,  you'll  b'lieve  in  a 
God  above  us  that's  a  real,  shoj  thing  !  I  reckon 
that  God  knew  what  He  was  doin'  when  He  let 
us  bring  the  niggahs  ovah  heah.  He  knew  we'd 
have  t'  go  through  an  awful  lot  b'fo'  that  could 
be  made  right,  an'  I  reckon  He  knew,  too,  that 
in  the  end  we'd  be  a  blame  sight  bettah  nation 
than  we  evah  were  b'fo'.  Ye  know,  sonny,  that's 
a  way  God  has.  He  lets  us  tu'n  the  bad  into 
good.  Sometimes  I  think  we  oughtah  thank  Him 
mo'  fo'  that  'n  anythin'  else. 
There  is  a  slight  pause. 

PHIL. 
Half  to  himself. 

Tu'n  the  bad  into  good. 

To  Long. 

How  could  I  help  do  that  ? 


2i8  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  m 

LONG. 

Kindly. 

Try  an'  like  the  niggahs.  That  don't  mean  sayin' 
they'ah's  good  as  you  —  it's  one  to  a  million  they 
ain't !  But  hatin's  the  ol'  way  o'  gettin'  roun' 
the  folks  that  bothah  ye  —  likin's  up-to-date ! 
So  crack  a  smile,  sonny,  an'  stick  out  yo'  han's, 
an'  all  pull  t'gethah  —  top  an'  bottom  —  rich  an' 
po'  —  black  an'  white  !  I  reckon  that's  the  trick 
t'  keep  this  oF  wo'ld  movin'  good  an'  fast  1 
A  pause. 
What  are  ye  thinkin'  'bout  now? 

PHIL. 
Rousing  himself. 

Nothin'.    Only  —  I  reckon  I've  made  up  my  mind, 
Senatoh.    I  reckon  yo'  right. 

LONG. 

Then  this  is  the  best  half-hour's  wo'k  I've  done 
fo'  a  powe'ful  long  time ! 

PHIL. 
Rising  and  coming  to  where  Long  is. 

I'm  glad  you  came  t'  see  me,  Senatoh.    I  needed 
some  one  t'  talk  t'  me,   jus'  like  you've  done. 


ACT  m]  THE   NIGGER  219 

P'raps  it  won't  be  very  long  befo'  you  know 
why. 

LONG. 

An'  now,  aftah  all  my  preachin',  I  want  t'  tell  you 
how  much  yo'  splendid  wo'k  in  holdin'  down 
the  riots  has  meant  t'  ev'ry  one  of  us !  You 
sho'  have  the  people  back  of  you  now,  suh,  hea't 
an'  soul ! 

PHIL. 

Oh,  I  didn't  do  much ! 

LONG. 

Measuring  him  with  his  eyes. 

No,  yo'  the  real  stuff,  suh !  We  need  men  like 
you  —  and  those  of  us  who're  black,  they  need  you 
most  of  all ! 

There  is  a  pause. 

PHIL. 
Simply. 

May  I  always  count  on  you  as  my  friend,  Senatoh  ? 
I  should  like  t'  feel  sho'  you  are  my  friend. 

LONG. 

Solemnly,  after  a  moment's  pause. 
I  am  proud,  suh,  t'  say  "  Yes.39 
He  offers  his  hand. 


220  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  m 

PHIL. 

Lowering  his  head  slightly,  as  he  takes  it. 
Thank  you,  Senatoh. 
Another  brief  pause,  as  they  shake  hands. 

LONG. 

With  a  change  of  tone. 

I  reckon  I  won't  keep  you  any  mo',  suh. 
Suddenly. 

Whoa  up  !  I've  fo'gotten  somethin'.  Yo'  frien's 
in  both  Houses,  suh,  are  desirous  o'  restorin' 
public  confidence  fu'thah  by  havin'  you  speak  t' 
the  troops,  not  t'  mention  the  assembled  citizens, 
on  theah  way  t'  the  station ! 

He  has  said  this  gravely,  but  with  a  twinkle  in  his  eye. 

PHIL. 
Smiling. 

You  mean  the  Colonel  is  comin'  chaperoned  by  two 
regiments. 

LONG. 

Exactly,  suh.  Now  you  think  up  somethin'  t' 
say  —  good  an'  easy,  you  unde'stand  —  somethin' 
that'll  clinch  the  mem'ry  o'  these  fo'  days  o'  crime 


ACT  m]  THE  NIGGER  221 

an  set  'em  lookin'  in  the  right  direction.     It's 
a  great  chance,  suh,  it  sho'ly  is  ! 


PHIL. 

I  know  —  I  only  wish  I  had  mo'  time.  It'll  be 
so't  o'  crude,  I  reckon,  but  I'll  do  my  best. 

i 

LONG. 

Then  I'll  come  back  latah  with  a  few  gentlemen 
from  the  House.  The  Colonel  ought  t'  tu'n  up 
by  fo'  thi'ty. 

PHIL. 
At  the  door. 

All  right.  You've  done  a  lot  fo'  me  t'-day  — 
more'n  you  know  —  jus'  now  ! 

LONG. 

At  the  door,  turning. 

What  you  got  t'  remembah,  sonny,  is  that  if  a 
man  wo'ks  ha'd  enough  an'  loves  ha'd  enough, 
things  can't  help  bein'  all  right  in  the  end.  Carry 
that  in  yo'  mental  vest  pocket,  will  you?  So 
long. 


222  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  m 

PHIL. 
I'll  try. 

The  Senator  goes  out. 

Phil  stands  for  a  moment,  thoughtfully,  then,  rousing 
himself,  goes  over  to  his  desk  and  presses  a  Ml  just 
underneath  the  edge. 

The  door  opens  and  the  doorkeeper  appears. 

THE  DOORKEEPER. 
Yes,  suh? 

PHIL. 
Send  in  Mr.  Noyes,  if  he's  still  theah,  Cha'lie. 

THE  DOORKEEPER. 
Yes,  suh. 

He  goes  out. 

Phil  rummages  among  the  papers,  finds  the  Long  Bill, 
and,  sitting  down,  begins  to  go  over  it,  pencil  in  hand. 

Enter  Noyes.  He  is  flushed  and  his  manner  is  one  oj 
suppressed  nervousness;  he  has  evidently  been  drink 
ing. 

NOYES. 
Well,  heah  I  am  ! 


ACT  m]  THE  NIGGER  223 

i 

PHIL. 
Looking  up. 

So  I  see.    Sit  down,  Clif,  won't  you? 

NOYES. 
Don't  mention  it. 

He  sits  down  opposite  Phil.    There  is  a  slight  pause. 

It's  Friday,  Phil.    You  know  I  said  I  was  comin' 
back  Friday. 

PHIL. 

Did  you,  Clif?    An'  what  was  it  you  wanted? 

NOYES. 
Nervously. 

Phil,  you've  had  time  t'  make  up  yo'  mind.    I've 
given  you  bushels  o'  time,  you  can't  deny  that ! 

PHIL. 

I  don't  know  as  my  mind  has  changed  any,  Clif, 

so  fah's  you  go. 

Sharply. 

Come  along,  now,  what  is  it  ? 

NOYES. 

You  know  !    Are  you  goin'  t'  let  that  Prohibition 
Bill  go  through?    Or  have  you  come  down  t' 


224  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  in 

ea'th  again  an'  decided  you'd  be  a  sensible,  right- 
thinkin'  man  ? 

PHIL. 
Dryly. 

I  reckon  that's  what  I've  always  tried  t'  be,  Clif 
—  a  sensible,  right-thinkin'  man  ! 

NOYES. 

Dam'  it,  you  know  what  I  mean !  This  ain't  no 
time  fo'  laughin'  —  an'  all  that ! 

PHIL. 

I'm  not  laughin',  Clif.  Somehow  I  don't  feel  in 
clined  that  way  t'-day. 

NOYES. 
Irritably. 

Then  why  in  hell  d'you  — 

PHIL. 

Interrupting. 

Heah,  now,  don't  you  take  on  so  loud  !  Looks  like 
you've  been  imbibin'  a  right  powe'ful  dose  o'  yo' 
own  brand,  Clif.  —  I  reckon  you  thought  it  might 
be  yo'  las'  chance  ! 


ACT  HI]  THE  NIGGER  225 

NO  YES. 
Trying  to  control  himself  and  laughing  nervously. 

You  always  were  one  fa'  the  joke,  Phil,  weren't 
you  ?  An'  I'm  blamed  if  you  didn't  get  a  rise  out 
o'  me  jes'  now  —  you  see  I've  been  kind  o'  anxious 
ovah  all  this  since  Wednesday  —  it  means  such 
a  dam'  lot  t'  me,  Phil,  an'  I  —  o'  co'se  I  knew  you'd 
stand  t'  reason  in  the  end  —  I  know  that  all  right, 
but  —  sometimes  a  man  can't  help  thinkin'  what 
would  happen  if  — 

He  pauses. 

Phil  has  not  moved  or  responded  in  any  way. 

Then,  bursting  out,  he  rises  in  uncontrollable  agitation. 

What  are  you  goin'  t'  do  about  that  Bill  ?    That's 

what  I  want  t'  know,  an'  I  want  t'  know  it  right 

now ! 

PHIL. 
Quickly  and  coolly. 

I'm  goin'  t'  let  that  Bill  go  through,  Clif,  I  — 

NOYES. 

No,  yo'  not ! 

PHIL. 

I'm  goin'  t'  see  this  State  go  dry.  I  said  I  hadn't 
changed  my  mind  about  you  since  Wednesday, 
an'  I  reckon  I  haven't ! 


226  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  m 

NOYES. 

£ 

Have  you  signed  it  yet  ? 

PHIL. 
That  don't  make  any  — 

NOYES. 
Breaking  in 

Jes'  tell  me  —  have  you  signed  it? 

PHIL. 
Not  yet,  but  — 

NOYES. 
Good! 

PHIL. 

Finishing  at  last. 

But  I'm  goin'  to  b'fo'  t'-morrow.  I  only  kept  it 
till  now  so's  I  could  glance  ovah  it  again  —  fo' 
the  las'  time. 

NOYES. 
Breathing  hard. 

Well,  Phil,  t'-morrow's  a  long  ways  off.  Some 
times  it  nevah  comes  at  all ! 

PHIL. 
Don't  it  ?    I  reckon  we'll  see ! 


ACT  HI]  THE   NIGGER  227 

NOYES. 

Wait  till  I've  talked  to  you,  Phil,  an'  then  mebbe 

you'll  — 

PHIL. 

The  Legislature  adjou'ns  in  the  afte'noon.  The 
Long  Bill's  goin'  t'  be  signed  by  fo'  o'clock ! 

NOYES. 
No,  it  ain't ! 

PHIL. 
Rising. 

So  now  that  yo'  on,  Clif,  go  home  an'  drink  up  all 
the  liquoh  on  the  premises !  Get  roarin'  drunk, 
Clif  — make  the  most  o'  the  time  that's  left! 
Then  jump  into  the  biggest  vat  you  can  find  an' 
drown  yo'self ! 

NOYES. 
Wait  a  second  — 

PHIL. 
No,  I  reckon  we've  finished  our  little  chat,  Clif. 

NOYES. 
Phil,  I  want  you  t'  listen  fo'  two  minutes ! 

PHIL. 
It  won't  do  a  bit  o'  good  — 


228  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  m 

NOYES. 

Jes'  two  minutes !  Phil,  you  know  who  I  am  an' 
what  I've  done.  I've  built  up  a  big  business  — 
I've  built  it  up  inch  by  inch  in  the  face  o'  the  best 
competition  o'  the  whole  dam'  country !  I've 
run  it  mighty  straight,  too,  considerin'  the  odds 
against  me,  you  know  that,  Phil ! 

PHIL. 
Yes,  but  I—  . 

NOYES. 
Continuing. 

An'  d'you  think  I've  done  it  without  wo'kin'  like 
hell,  yeah  in  an'  yeah  out  ?  I've  pushed  my  body 
an'  my  brains,  jes'  about  's  fah  's  they  could  go, 
ev'ry  day  o'  my  life,  an'  I  didn't  make  no  kick 
about  it,  neithah  —  I  was  gettin'  somethin'  —  I 
was  gettin'  a  blame  lot !  But  now  -  -  say,  how 
would  you  feel  if  you'd  been  slavin'  like  a  niggah 
fo'  neahly  fo'ty  yeahs,  an'  then,  when  you  began 
coinin'  results,  have  a  dam'  fool  come  along  an' 
bust  up  the  whole  thing,  —  jes'  b'cause  he  was 
sufferin'  from  a  bug  in  his  head  he  called  his  con 
science  !  Say,  Phil !  can't  you  look  at  it  from  my 
side  o'  the  fence  ? 


ACT  m]  THE   NIGGER  229 

PHIL. 
Seriously. 

I'm  sorry,  Clif ,  I  really  am.  But  then  —  you  know 
it's  not  a  question  o'  my  feelin'  sorry. 

NOYES. 

Eagerly. 

I'd  like  t'  know  what  else  it  is !  Dam'  it,  Phil, 
you  can  do  it  fo'  me  if  you  only  want  to ! 

PHIL. 

Shaking  his  head. 

You've  got  it  all  wrong,  Clif  —  dead  wrong  ! 

NOYES. 

Phil,  you  know  you've  skun  me  out  o'  what  was 
mine  by  rights  —  oh,  it  ain't  yo'  fault,  I  realize 
that !  But  now's  yo'  chance  t'  make  it  all  up  t' 
me! 

PHIL. 
Gravely. 

Don't  put  it  that  way,  Clif. 

NOYES. 

Why  not?  Come  on,  Phil,  I'm  yo'  kin,  an'  first 
an'  last  we've  been  treated  like  di'ty  dawgs  by 


230  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  in 

yo'   side  o'   the  fam'ly.     Come  on,   an'   do  the 
decent   thing,   Phil! 
A  slight  pause. 

Good  Lawd !  I  don't  see  why  7  should  be  the 
one  t'  boot-lick  —  knowin'  what  I  do  —  an'  all 
that! 

PHIL. 
Quietly. 

You  needn't  hint,  Clif .    I  haven't  fo'gotten. 

NOYES. 
Wiping  away  the  sweat  from  his  forehead. 

Theah !    I  ain't  hintin'.     I'm  only  askin'  you  t1 
be  decent  t'  yo'  own  kin  ! 
Suddenly,  in  a  paroxysm  of  emotion. 

You  don'  know  what  this  means !  Ev'ry  cent  I 
got  is  in  them  distille'ies  —  you've  smashed  my 
papah,  an'  I  nevah  said  a  wo'd  about  it,  did  I? 
But  if  my  distille'ies  go,  I'm  in  a  receivah's  han's 
myself  —  sold  up  —  down  an'  out  —  an'  I'll  be 
fifty  nex'  May  —  that's  too  ol'  t'  try  again  — 

PHIL. 
Interrupting. 

Quit  it,  Clif,  yo'  only  gettin'  wrought  up  fo'  nothin' ! 
I  can't  help  you  —  I  have  my  duty  an'  I  see  it 


ACT  m]  THE  NIGGER  231 

mighty  plain,  an'  —  well,  I  got  t'  do  't.    That's 
all. 

NOYES. 

Yo'  goin'  t'  finish  me,  are  you  ? 

PHIL. 
I'm  goin'  t'  sign  that  Bill. 

NOYES. 
Phil,  fo'  the  las'  time,  won't  you  listen  t'  reason  ? 

PHIL. 
I'm  sorry,  Clif ,  but  it's  jus'  no  use  ! 

NOYES. 

Slapping  his  thigh  and  rising. 
All  right !    You've  done  it  yo'self  ! 

PHIL. 
How  d'you  mean  ? 

NOYES. 

I  mean  that  if  you  don't  veto  that  Prohibition  Bill 
—  right  now  —  while  I'm  watchin'  you  - 


232  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  m 

PHIL. 
As  he  pauses. 

Well?    What'll  you  do  ? 

NOYES. 

I'll  go  straight  from  this  heah  place  t'  the  Courant 
Buildin',  an'  have  'em  publish  yo'  niggah  gran'- 
mothah's  lettah  on  the  front  page  o'  theah  evenin' 
edition. 

There  is  a  brief  pause. 

PHIL. 

With  a  slight  smile. 

That's  soonah  'n  I'd  expected,  Clif. 

/ 

NOYES. 

An'  I'll  have  an  editorial  t'-morrow  tellin'  the 
people  o'  this  State  jest  why  theah  Gove'noh  wants 
'em  t'  go  dry  !  When  he  was  a  white  man,  he  was 
all  fo'  the  whites  —  now  that  he's  black,  he's 
down  on  'em  like  hell !  Do  you  know  what's 
makin'  you  pass  this  Bill?  It's  race  feelin'  — 
ye  dam'  niggah  ye  ! 

Phil,  during  this,  has  seated  himself  quietly  at  his  desk 
and  written  something  quickly.  Now  he  rises  and 
points  to  it. 


ACT  in] 


THE  NIGGER 
PHIL. 


That  Bill's  a  law  now. 

NOYES. 
Choking. 

You- 

PHIL. 

That  Bill's  a  law.    Now  cleah  out ! 


You've  done  it  ? 
Cleah  out,  I  say  ! 


NOYES. 

PHIL. 

NOYES 


233 


Beside  himself. 

Ye  dam'  fool  — 

He  springs  forward  to  snatch  away  the  Bill. 

Phil,  very  quickly,  has  pressed  the  button  and  is  holding 
the  Bill  beyond  his  reach  when  doorkeeper  appears. 


Yes,  suh  ? 


THE  DOORKEEPER. 


PHIL. 


Give  this  to  Mr.  Barrington,  please.    Tell  him 
t'  put  it  in  the  safe  an'  then  come  heah. 

He  hands  him  the  Bill. 


234  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  HI 

THE  DOORKEEPER. 
All  right,  suh. 
The  doorkeeper  goes  out,  carrying  the  Bill. 

NOYES. 
With  a  shaky  laugh. 

Well,  you  ce'tainly  have  fixed  yo'self  this  trip  ! 

PHIL. 

If  yo'  not  gone  by  the  time  Barrington  comes,  I'll 
ring  fo'  the  plain-clothes  men.  Understand  ? 

NOYES. 
Insolently. 

Oh,  I'll  be  gone  all  right !  I  gottah  hurry  t'  get 
theah  befo'  the  papah  goes  t'  press.  So  you  think 
you've  done  me,  don't  you  ? 

A  pause.    Phil,  seated  at  the  desk,  does  not  answer. 

I  reckon,  though,  you've  done  yo'self,  an'  what's 
mo',  you've  made  me  tol'able  well  off  fo'  the  rest 
o'  my  life. 

PHIL. 
Easily. 

Yes? 


ACT  m]  THE  NIGGER  235 

NOYES. 

Grinning  at  him  in  rage  and  triumph. 

Knocked  out  my  business,  have  you?  Well, 
what  of  it,  you  sma't  Aleck  ?  Say,  give  us  the  size 
o'  yo'  income,  will  yo?  Twenty  —  twenty-five 
thousan'  ?  Is  it  all  in  cotton  ?  Ain't  you  got  any 
good  bonds?  No?  Well,  aftah  all,  cotton's 
safe !  You  see  I'm  int'rested,  'cause  it's  my  in 
come,  now ! 

PHIL. 

Calmly. 

I  know  that 

NOYES. 

All  yo'  property,  yo'  plantation,  yo'  town  house, 
" Morrow's  Rest"  -with  the  fam'ly  po'traits  in 
the  dinin'-room  an'  yo'  precious  oP  gran'pa's 
swo'd  hangin'  up  on  the  library  wall  —  they 
b'long  t'  me  now,  they  have  evah  since  he  got 
killed  down  in  Mexico  — 


PHIL. 

Warningly. 

We  won't  talk  'bout  him,  Clif  ! 


236  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  in 

NOYES. 

They 'ah  mine  now  !    They've  been  long  enough  in 
the  han's  o'  black  basta'ds  like  you  an'  yo'  dad  — 

PHIL. 
Furious. 

Take  that  back,  you  — 

NOYES. 
Laughing. 

I  see  myself,  ye  dam'  young  mulatto,  ye  — 
Phil  rises  and  comes  for  NoyeSj  his  hands  clenched. 
Barrington  enters. 

BARRINGTON. 
Pleasantly,  as  he  turns  to  close  the  doors. 

Cha'lie  says  you  wanted  me,  suh.    The  Long  Bill's 
in  the  safe  all  right. 

PHIL. 
Stopping. 

Yes,  I  —  wait  a  second,  while  I  think  — 

BARRINGTON. 
Crossing  to  Phil. 

Miss  Byrd,  suh,  is  in  my  office,  wantin'  t'  see  you. 


ACT  m]  THE   NIGGER  237 

PHIL. 
Miss  Byrd  —  ?    Why  —  when  did  she  come  ? 

BARRINGTON. 

Only  'bout  ten  minutes  ago. 
Glancing  at  Noyes. 

I  didn't  think  you'd  like  t'  be  distu'bed,  suh.     She 
said  it  was  impo'tant,  so  I  asked  her  t'  wait. 

PHIL. 

Collecting  himself. 

That's  right.    Yes  —  yes,  I'll  see  her  now. 
As  Barrington  looks  again  at  Noyes. 
Mr.  Noyes  is  leavin'  immediately. 

NOYES. 
Picking  up  his  hat  and  stick,  after  looking  at  his  watch. 

Ten  aftah  fo'.     I  reckon  I  gottah  hustle — they 'ah 
in  press  at  five. 

PHIL. 

Coolly. 

Good  luck ! 


238  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  m 

NOYES. 
Ostentatiously  putting  on  his  gloves. 

'Membah  me  t'  Miss  Geo'gie,  won't  you  ?  By  the 
way,  when  does  the  happy  ce'emony  come  off? 
Thought  I  hea'd  some  thin'  'bout  next  month. 
That  so  ? 

He  pauses,  then  laughs  again. 

Well,  s'long,  Phil,  oP  man  !  Pa'don  me  if  I  don't 
shake  han's. 

BARRINGTON. 

Annoyed  at  the  evident  insult  in  his  manner. 

A  touch  o'  gout,  is  it?  P'raps  you've  been 
samplin'  yo'  own  goods  a  little  too  freely,  Mr. 
Noyes.  Now  I  don't  like  to  suggest,  but  they  do 
say  life  at  the  Keeley  Cure  is  very  pleasant  indeed  ! 

NOYES. 
Still  looking  at  Phil. 

No,  it's  not  that,  young  fellah  —  it's  a  touch  of  — 
oP  Southe'n  prejudice,  I  reckon.  That's  all. 

He  goes  out. 

Phil,  during  this  last,  has  faced  him  silently,  unmoved. 


ACT  m]  THE  NIGGER  239 

BARRINGTON. 
At  the  door,  before  following  him. 

You  ce'tainly  must  have  made  it  hot  fo'  him,  suh  ! 
He  looks  like  a  fricasseed  guinea-hen  befo'  they 
po'  on  the  gravy  ! 

PHIL. 

Ask  Miss  Byrd  kindly  t'  step  in  heah,  Barrington, 
will  you  ? 

BARRINGTON. 
Very  well,  suh. 

He  goes  out. 

Phil  crosses  to  the  fireplace  and  stands  for  a  moment, 
leaning  his  arms  on  the  mantel.  He  somehow  expresses 
nervous  conflict.  At  the  entrance  of  the  girl  he  turns 
quickly,  and  it  is  seen  that  his  poise  is  regained. 
During  the  following  scene  his  manner  is  quiet  and 
tender  and  manly. 

Georgie  enters  hesitatingly.  She  wears  a  simple  after 
noon  frock  ;  her  face  is  pale. 

PHIL. 

Turning. 

How  d'you  do  ?  It  was  —  very  nice  of  you  t' 
come  t'  see  me. 


240  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  m 

GEORGIE. 
Holding  out  her  hand. 

I've  tried  befo'.  Yeste'day  I  came  t'  the  house 
twice. 

PHIL. 

I  was  out  wo'kin'  with  the  troops.  But  Simms 
didn't  tell  me  — 

GEORGIE. 

Interrupting. 

I  asked  him  not  to.  I  wanted  t'  tell  you  myself. 
So  this  afte'noon  I  jus'  couldn't  stand  it  any 
longah  an'  I  made  mothah  bring  me  heah. 

PHIL. 
Gravely. 

Have  you  said  anythin'  t'  yo'  mothah  ? 
GEORGIE. 


Nervously. 

Said  what  ? 

PHIL. 

After  a  moment  of  hesitation. 

That  we've  broken  our  engagement  ? 


ACT  in]  THE  NIGGER  241 

GEORGIE. 
Not  looking  at  him. 

No. 

PHIL. 

Then  I  reckon  you'd  bettah  do  it  right  away. 
Things  are  goin'  t'  happen,  Geo'gie,  an7  I  want 
you  out  of  it  befo'  the  trouble  commences. 

GEORGIE. 
I'm  not  going  to  tell  mothah,  Phil. 

PHIL. 
Do  you  —  want  me  to  ?    Is  that  it  ? 

GEORGIE. 

I'm  not  going  to  tell  her  our  engagement's  off, 
fo'  the  simple  reason  that  it  isn't.  Theah  now ! 

PHIL. 
What  d'you  mean  ? 

GEORGIE. 
Bursting  out. 

I  don't  care  —  I  love  you,  Phil !  Oh,  I  know  what 
you  think  of  me  fo'  going  back  on  you  that  way ! 


242  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  m 

And  yo'  perfectly  right,  Phil,  I  dese've  it  all  — 
ev'ry  bit  of  it,  but  — 

PHIL. 
Geo'gie  — ! 

GEORGIE. 
Going  on. 

I  was  so  —  so  —  you  see  I  didn't  expect  it,  and 
then  I  hadn't  been  sleeping  on  account  o'  the  riots 
-  it  wasn't  me  that  talked  that  way,  Phil,  it  was 
jus'  my  tired  ne'ves  —  an'  —  since  then  —  well, 
o'  co'se  I  woke  up  and  I've  been  thinking  and  feel 
ing,  and  —  I  don't  know,  I  jus'  love  you  so  much, 
Phil,  that  I  won't  let  anything  come  between  us 
—  not  even  —  that! 

PHIL. 
Almost  overcome. 

Geo'gie  —  yo'  the  kind  o'  girl  I  —  well,  I  reckon 
theah  not  two  of  you  in  the  whole  wo'ld  !  I'm 
proud  t'  be  in  love  with  a  girl  like  you,  Geo'gie  ! 

GEORGIE. 

So  you'll  fo'give  me,  won't  you?  An'  you'll 
fo'get  all  those  dreadful  things  I  said  —  an'  we'll 
go  on  jus'  as  if  nothing  had  happened  —  that's  it, 
jus'  as  if  nothing  had  evah  happened  ! 


ACT  m]  THE   NIGGER  243 

PHIL. 
Yo'  willin'  t'  do  that  —  fo'  me  ? 

GEORGIE. 

With  a  trembling  smile,  as  she  moves  forward,  her  arms 
open. 

Phil  deah,  I  can't  help  it  —  why,  I've  known  you 
and  I've  loved  you  all  my  life  ! 

PHIL. 
Controlling  an  impulse  to  take  her  in  his  arms. 

Wait  a  second,  honey  !  I  nevah  knew  myself  till 
these  three  days  !  But  durin'  that  time  —  (with 
a  big  breath]  —  well,  I've  gone  down  pretty  fah, 
an'  I  reckon  now  I've  touched  bottom  at  last ! 

GEORGIE. 
Why  —  Phil  —  I  —  what  is  it  ? 

PHIL. 

Sit  down,  honey,  heah  on  the  sofa,  so  we  can  talk 
an'  you  can  be  right  comf 'table. 

As  she  does  so. 
Theah ! 


244  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  m 

GEORGIE. 
Suddenly. 

You  haven't  kissed  me  yet  —  you  haven't  fo'given 
me  —  Phil!  You  don't  mean  you  —  t 

PHIL. 
Patiently. 

Wait  a  second,  deah.  When  I  told  you  I  couldn't 
give  you  up  an'  if  you  only  didn't  mind  we  could 
go  on  's  if  nothin'  had  happened,  I  reckon  I  was 
doin'  somethin'  mighty  low  down. 

GEORGIE. 
I  don't  unde'stand. 

PHIL. 

I  was  sayin'  somethin'  I  knew  in  my  hea't  wasn't 
so. 

GEORGIE. 
Phil! 

PHIL. 

That's  true  as  Gospel,  honey  !  It  would  be  mighty 
nice  if  we  could  smash  up  things  as  they  are  an' 
make  'em  all  ovah,  jus'  like  we  wanted  'em  — 
mighty  nice  !  But  we  can't ! 


ACT  m]  THE   NIGGER  245 

GEORGIE. 
Yes,  we  can  —  and  we're  going  to,  Phil ! 

PHIL. 

Half  smiling. 

/ 

If  I  could  be  bawn  again  —  then  p'raps  I  — 

GEORGIE. 
Interrupting. 

But,  Phil  —  it's  —  it's  only  such  a  little!    Just  a 
trace  —  that's  all ! 

PHIL. 
Gently. 

Black's  black,  an'  white's  white.    If  yo'  not  one,  \ 
yo'  the  othah,  Geo'gie.     I've  always  said  that,  an* 
I  reckon  I'll  have  t'  stick  to't  now ! 

GEORGIE. 

But  it's  so  diff'rent —  you  didn't  know  then  — 
yo'  not  responsible  fo'  what  you  said  ! 

PHIL. 

My  mind  hasn't  changed,  deah,  on  that  pa'ticu- 
lah  point.     An'  even  if  it  had,  d'you  think  folks 


246  THE   NIGGER  [ACT  m 

would  let  me  keep  on  bein'  -  -  a  white  man  —  any 
mo7? 

There  is  a  pause.    She  stares  at  him  in  horror  and 
amazement. 

GEORGIE. 

Yo'  not  going  to  tell  people!  No,  Phil, —  you 
couldn't  —  you  simply  couldn't ! 

PHIL. 

Calmly. 

That's  jus'  what  I've  got  t'  do. 

GEORGIE. 
Tell  every  one  —  ?    Oh,  yo'  not  —  I  won't  let  you  ! 

PHIL. 

I  reckon  neithah  of  us  can  keep  it  da'k  any  mo', 
even  if  we  wanted  t'  try.  Clif  Noyes  was  heah 
befo'  you  came. 

GEORGIE. 
I  know.    Well? 

PHIL. 

Well,  he  wanted  me  t'  veto  the  Long  Bill  an'  I  tol' 
him  I  wasn't  goin'  to.  So  he  left  fo'  the  office 


ACT  m]  THE  NIGGER  247 

o'  the  Courant  an'  he's  goin'  t'  bring  out  the  whole 
thing  in  t'-night's  papah. 

A  slight  pause.     Then,  with  an  odd  little  smile. 
They  might  even  think  I  was  wo'th  an  extra  ! 

GEORGIE. 

Mr.  Noyes  — !  And  he  has  some  lettahs  — ! 
Oh  —  !  ' 

She  clenches  her  hands. 

PHIL. 
I  reckon  he'll  give  me  a  mighty  neat  headline  ! 

GEORGIE. 
Flaming. 

That  man  — !  Phil,  why  didn't  you  shoot  him 
like  a  yallah  dog  —  why  did  you  let  him  get  by 
you  alive  ? 

PHIL. 
Soothingly. 

Honey,  what  does  it  mattah  about  Clif  ?  I  might 
'a'  killed  him,  like  you  say,  but  I  couldn't  'a'  killed 
a  plain,  bare  fact,  that  happened  ovah  fifty  yeahs 
ago,  could  I  ? 


. 


248  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  m 

GEORGIE 

But  the  C  our  ant!  I  can  see  those  headlines  now — 
it's  such  a  di'ty  way,  Phil ! 

PHIL. 
Dryly. 

Well,  the  business  itself  isn't  so  powerful  clean, 
Geo'gie !  But  I'm  goin'  t'  do  my  best  t'  shine  it 
up !  Senatoh  Long  tells  me  they  want  a  little 
speech  when  the  troops  come  with  the  Colonel  on 
theah  way  tj  the  train.  They'll  be  along  heah 
right  soon  now,  with  a  big  crowd,  I  reckon.  An'  — 
well,  it  looks  like  my  chance  ! 

GEORGIE. 
Staring  at  him. 

You  mean  —  ? 

PHIL. 

My  chance  t'  tell  ev'rybody  myself.  I  don't 
fancy  the  idea  of  the  Courant  doin'  it  fo'  me. 

GEORGIE. 

Yo'  going  to  stand  up  an'  say  —  a  thing  like  that 
—  befo'  the  whole  city  ? 


ACT  m]  THE  NIGGER  249 

PHIL. 
Why  not? 

GEORGIE. 

Aghast. 

Oh,  you  mustn't  —  you  mustn't !    I  know  theah's 
some  way  t'  stop  Mr.  Noyes  —  let  me  see  him  — 

PHIL. 
I  reckon  that  wouldn't  do  a  mite  o'  good,  honey  ! 

GEORGIE. 
But,  Phil,  —  it'll  be  the  end  of  you  — ! 

PHIL. 

In  a  flash  of  tortured  resolution. 
Don't  I  know  that? 

M ore  gently.     ^ 

Oh,  I've  thought  it  all  out,  honey,  'deed  I  have ! 
I'm  a-goin'   t'  send   in  my   resignation  t'-mor'- 
row,  befo'  the  Senate  adjou'ns. 
There  is  a  little  pause. 

GEORGIE. 
Her  voice  shaking. 

I   unde'stand    now  —  and  —  it's    splendid  —  Oh, 
I  didn't  know  any  one  could  be  as  splendid  as  that ! 


250  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  HI 

PHIL. 
Trying  to  smile. 

Nonsense,  Geo'gie —  but  now  you  see  why  we 
can't  go  on  's  if  nothin'  had  happened  —  why  I'm 
sayin'  good-by  to  you. 

GEORGIE. 
In  wonder. 

Good-by? 

PHIL. 

Yes,  I  don't  want  t'  see  you  —  not  fo'  a  long  time 
—  I'm  not  sho'  if  I  evah  want  t'  see  you  again  —  ! 

GEORGIE. 
But  why? 

PHIL. 
His  passion  and  grief  breaking  out  in  spite  of  himself. 

Why — ?  Good  God,  Geo'gie,  even  if  I  am  a 
'niggah,  can't  you  see  I'm  a  man  —  ? 

He  turns  suddenly  away. 

GEORGIE. 

Lifting  her  head,  after  a  pause. 

Yes,  o'  co'se  I  do.    And  I  see  I'm  a  woman,  too, 


i 


ACT  m]  THE  NIGGER  251 

and  that  we're  going  to  get  married  right  away. 
I  see  all  three  things  mighty  cleah  ! 

PHIL. 
Turning  to  her. 

Geo'gie,  d'you  realize  that  in  less'n  an  hour  I'm 
goin'  tj  stand  at  this  heah  window  an'  say  right  out 
t'  the  American  nation  that  I'm  a  niggah  ? 

GEORGIE. 

Interrupting. 

Yes,  I  realize  that.    What  of  it  ? 

PHIL. 
I  reckon  you  don't  unde'stand  —  ! 

GEORGIE. 
Coming  to  him,  her  hands  on  his  arms 

No,  perhaps  I  don't, Phil!  Theah's  only  one  thing 
I  know  I  unde'stand  and  that  is  —  I  love  you  — 

He  makes  a  movement  to  turn  away. 

Yes,  I  love  you  —  I  don't  care  who  you  are  or 
what  you  do  —  I  don't  care  if  ev'rybody  in  the 
wo'ld  goes  back  on  you,  I'll  stick  all  the  closah, 
you  can't  get  rid  of  me  — 


. 


252  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  m 

i 

PHIL. 
No,  don't  - 

GEORGIE. 
Swept  on. 

An'  you'll  need  me  —  you'll  need  ev'ry  bit  of  the 
help  I'm  going  to  give  you  ! 

Her  voice  breaking. 

Why,  Phil  deah,  I  think  I'm  almost  glad  you've 
got  to  go  through  this,  because  theah'll  be  so  much 
I  can  do  fo'  you  —  and  I  will  do  it,  too !  I'll 
have  to  make  up  to  you  fo'  everything  you've 
lost  —  and,  oh  !  honey,  I  know  I  can  !  I  know  I 
can ! 

PHIL. 
Quit  it,  Geo'gie ! 

GEORGIE. 
Clinging  to  him. 

You've  made  me  love  you  —  it's  yo'  own  fault, 
way  back  theah  —  yeahs  ago  !  And  you  can't 
stop  me  now  —  it  isn't  right  and  it  isn't  fair  to 
try! 

PHIL. 

Turning  to  her  with  a  distorted  smile. 
Love  —  a  niggah  —  ? 


ACT  m]  THE  NIGGER  253 

GEORGEE. 
Flinging  her  arms  about  his  neck. 
My  boy  —  my  own  boy  —  ! 

PHIL. 

With  a  cry,  pressing  her  to  him  violently. 
Geo'gie —  you  mustn't  —  you  mustn't  — 

He  kisses   her  again  and  again.     Then,  pushing  her 
away  suddenly. 

No  —  I  won't  let  you  —  this  has  got  t'  quit  right 
heah  — 

GEORGIE. 
In  despair. 

Phil  —  ! 

PHIL. 

It  can't  be  that  way  —  no,  it  nevah  can,  an'  I'll 
tell  you  why ! 

Controlling  himself. 

Befo'  all  this  happened,  I  was  tryin'  t'  do  what  I 
could  with  my  life  —  an'  now,  when  I  find  things 
have  changed  —  well,  theah's  no  good  makin' 
a  fuss  —  I've  got  t'  do  my  best  with  what's  left. 


254  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  in 

GEORGIE. 

'I  know,  deah,  and  it'll  be  all  right.    We'll  go 

No'th  and  be  married  up  theah.  You'll  begin  all 

ovah  again  —  you'll  change  yo'  name  —  go  into 
politics  — 

PHIL. 
Interrupting. 

No,  that  won't  do.  Senatoh  Long  showed  me 
the  way  —  he  didn't  know  it,  but  he  did.  It's 
the  only  one  that's  open  t'  me  —  I  couldn't  take 
any  othah  if  I  wanted.  I've  got  to  wo'k  fo'  the 
niggahs  —  shouldah  t'  shouldah  —  b'cause  I'm 
a  niggah  myself,  an'  b'cause  they  need  me  awful 
bad! 

GEORGIE. 
I  don't  care  —  I  can  follow  you  —  and  help  you  — 

PHIL. 

You?  Yo'  white  —  that  keeps  you  out.  You 
can't  ride  with  me  on  the  niggah  trolleys  —  you 
can't  stop  with  me  at  the  niggah  hotels  —  you 
can't  eat  with  me  at  the  niggah  lunch-countahs 
—  you  can't  be  buried  with  me  in  a  niggah  grave- 
ya'd  — 


ACT  m]  THE  NIGGER  255 

GEORGIE. 
In  agony. 

No,  no  —  it's  not  that  way  — 

PHIL. 

Yes,  it  is  !  Geo'gie,  theah's  a  black  gulf  between 
us  —  an'  it's  filled  t'  the  brim  with  sweat  an'  hate 
an'  blood !  We  can  stretch  out  our  hands  from 
eithah  side,  but  they  won't  meet !  An'  even  while 
we're  tryin',  don't  we  heah  from  down  theah  — 
miles  down  —  comin'  up  through  the  centuries  — 
the  crack  of  a  white  man's  whip  an'  the  scream 
of  a  — 

GEORGIE. 

Interrupting,  terrified. 

Phil  —  don't  —  don't,  fo'  Heaven's  sake ! 

PHIL. 
Pulling  himself  together  with  a  great  effort,  and  smiling. 

Love  can  do  a  lot,  honey.  No  one  knows  that 
better'n  me.  But  it  can't  bring  us  two  t'gethah 
—  any  mo'. 

GEORGIE. 

Not  even  if  we  waited  —  a  long,  long  time  ? 


256  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  11 

PHIL. 

Smiling. 

I  reckon  it  would  be  jus'  about's  long  as  we  hap 
pened  t'  live,  honey !  An'  then  —  (slight  pause) 

-  well,  I  wish  fo'  the  fi'st  time  that  I  was  a  religious 
man !    I'd  know  I'd  meet  you  beyond  the  Jo'dan 

-  as  mammy  says  —  an'  I  don't  doubt  fo'  a  min 
ute  that  helps  a  powe'ful  lot ! 

GEORGIE. 

I  won't  let  you  leave  me,  Phil  —  you've  got  to 
take  me  with  you  ! 

PHIL. 
Tenderly. 

I  wish  I  could,  honey,  but  it  looks  as  if  I'd  have 
t'  go  alone.  You  see,  what  my  gran'fathah  did 
t'  my  gran'mothah  isn't  all  —  it's  what  ev'ry  white 
man  has  done  t'  ev'ry  niggah  fo'  the  las'  three 
hundred  yeahs  !  An'  it's  time  some  one  had  to  pay 
up,  even  if  he  wasn't  extra  keen  on  bein'  the  pa'tic- 
ulah  chosen  man. 

GEORGIE. 

But  it's  not  fair  t'  make  you  suffah  fo'  what  yo' 
gran'fathah  did  !  You've  got  a  duty  to  yo'self  — 
you've  got  yo'  own  life  t'  lead  ! 


ACT  m]  THE  NIGGER  257 

PHIL. 
Gently. 

I  know,  honey.  An'  now  let  me  tell  you  somethin' 
that  makes  it  seem  easiah.  The  Senatoh  said  a 
heap  o'  things,  an'  they  all  hit  me  mighty  ha'd, 
but  this  —  well,  I  felt  I'd  bettah  have  it  my  motto 
from  now  on  —  like  one  o'  those  "Do-It-Now" 
signs  some  fellahs  tack  up  ovah  theah  desks. 
Understand? 

GEORGIE. 
What  is  it? 

PHIL. 

I  can't  boil  it  down  into  three  wo'ds  yet,  but  I 
got  the  idea  all  right.  Heah  it  is.  We're  livin' 
in  a  wo'ld  wheah  a  lot  o'  good  things  happen  an' 
a  lot  o'  bad  things,  too.  We  don't  exactly  know 
what  makes  'em  do  't,  but  mos'  people  gene'ally 
agree  theah  is  somethin'  back  of  it  all,  though  they 
call  it  by  a  heap  o'  different  names.  Well,  this 
fo'ce  must  be  movin'  us  towa'ds  somethin'  good  or 
somethin'  bad  —  it's  not  standin'  still.  Some 
say  it's  headed  fo'  destruction,  but  he  says  it's 
goin'  t'  bring  us  all  out  on  top,  if  we  only  wait 
long  enough  an'  wo'k  ha'd  enough  an'  don't  ask 
too  many  questions.  But  then  why  do  we  have 
s 


258  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  in 

t'  go  through  such  an  awful  lot  on  the  road  ?  I 
reckon  it's  because  a  man  is  constructed  so  blame 
queah,  he  can't  be  really  happy  'nless  he's  known 
the  other  thing,  too.  D'you  think  we'd  be  'spe 
cially  grateful  fo'  good  weathah,  if  the  sun  kep' 
shinin'  all  the  time  ?  I  have  my  doubts  ! 

GEORGIE. 
But  what's  this  got  t'  do  with  you  ? 

PHIL. 

I'm  a-comin'  t'  that,  honey.  Well,  heah  is  our 
Ame'ican  people  an'  they've  done  a  big,  wrong 
thing  —  stealin'  the  niggahs  from  Africa  an' 
bringin'  'em  ovah  heah  fo'  theah  own  selfish  use  — 
an'  a  thing  like  that  couldn't  help  endin'  —  as 
it  has  ended  —  in  bloody  to'ment !  We're  a-suf- 
ferin'  it  now,  but  d'you  think  it's  goin'  t'  last? 
D'you  think  we're  not  a-goin'  t'  rise  up  from  it  a 
strongah  an'  a  wisah  an'  a  kindah  people  ?  D'you 
think  it's  not  wo'th  while  — all  this?  Why,  if 
it  weren't,  —  a  thousand  times  ovah  !  —  what 
would  be  the  use  o'  strugglin'  an'  livin'  any  longah  ? 
Why  shouldn't  ev'ry  one  get  rid  of  it  all  by  takin' 
a  headah  right  into  the  da'k  ? 


ACT  m]  THE  NIGGER  259 

GEORGEE. 

Seeing  his  drift. 

Oh  —  Phil  ! 

PHIL. 

An'  it's  jus'  the  same,  on  a  littlah  scale,  with  me. 
\  My   gran'fathah   did   somethin'   wrong,   an'   it's  j  c 
I  resultin'  in  mighty  seveah  pain  fo'  ev'ry  one  con-  \ 
ce'ned.    But  aftah   this  pain's  been  used  —  fo' 
it  has  a  use,  an'  a  good  one,  too  !  —  why,  we'll 
get  the  fruits  o'  the  whole  experience,  an'  I  reckon 
they'll  make  up  fo'  ev'ry  thin'  !  &  (V^vA 

l 


GEORGIE. 
Protesting. 

But,  Phil,  I  — 

PHIL. 
Silencing  her. 

My  deah,  we've  got  t'  b'lieve  it  whethah  we  want 
to  or  not  —  theah's  nothin'  left  fo'  us  t'  do  !  The 
final  good  —  that's  what  it  is,  the  final  good  ! 
An'  we  won't  let  anythin'  keep  us  from  gettin' 
to  it! 

GEORGIE. 
Quietly. 

Not  even  —  me  ? 


26o  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  m 

PHIL. 

Looking  at  her. 

Honey,  I  didn't  mean  to  — 

GEORGIE. 

Interrupting. 

But  you've  left  me  out  of  it.  I  can  suffah,  like 
I'm  sufferin'  now,  but  what  use  will  it  be  t'  any 
one? 

PHIL. 
Very  tenderly. 

Yo's  is  the  ha'dest,  I  know.  I've  got  wo'k  ahead 
of  me  —  lots  of  it,  thank  God  !  But  you  must  sit 
with  yo'  han's  folded  —  mo'  or  less  —  an'  that's 
why  I'm  so  — 

He  bends  his  head,  unable  to  continue. 

GEORGIE. 
It's  all  wrong,  Phil  —  I  know  that ! 

PHIL. 

Very  tenderly. 

Can't  you  see,  Geo'gie?  If  you  hadn't  come 
this  mawnin',  I'd  have  gone  to  that  window  like 
a  criminal  dragged  t'  the  gallows-tree.  But 


ACT  m]  THE  NIGGER  261 

now  when  you  say,  "I  love  you,  an'  'cause 
I  love  you,  I  want  you  to  do  the  right  thing, 
no  mattah  what  it  costs "  —  why,  I'll  lift  my 
head  an'  ma'ch  out  theah  like  a  captain  t' 
the  battlefield.  An'  honey  —  you'll  have  given 
me  my  swo'd ! 

A  slight  pause. 

GEORGIE. 
Desperately. 

But,  Phil,  I'm  not  big  like  you  !  I  can't  look  ahead 
—  I'm  not  built  that  way  !  I'm  jus'  an  o'dinary 
girl  and  I  love  you  and  I've  got  t'  have  you ! 

She  breaks  down  and  cries. 

Phil,  I  can't  let  you  go  —  oh,  I  can't  —  I  can't! 

PHIL. 

Taking  her  in  his  arms  as  he  would  a  child  and  petting 
her. 

Theah,  honey,  you  mustn't  cry !  Think  how  it 
makes  me  feel  t'  have  you  cry ! 

GEORGIE. 

Putting  her  arms  about  his  neck,  as  if  for  protection. 
I  love  you  — 


262  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  m 

PHIL. 

I  know  it,  deah,  an'  I  reckon  theah  comes  a  time 
in  the  lives  of  ev'ry  two  people  when  they  need 
each  othah's  help,  an'  they  need  it  mighty  bad ! 
This  is  ours,  honey,  an'  yo'  goin'  t'  help  me  by 
bein'  brave.  I  —  I  reckon  I  haven't  got  so  much 
courage  that  it'll  do  fo'  both  of  us ! 

He  tries  to  smile  down  at  her. 

GEORGIE. 
Struggling  with  herself. 

Wait  — I  — 

PHIL. 
Very  tenderly 

Won't  you  try,  Geo'gie,  jus'  fo'  me  —  ? 

There  is  a  pause. 

GEORGIE. 

Trying  to  control  herself. 

You'll  always  love  me  ?    I  want  you  to  say  that. 

PHIL. 

Yes  —  (a  little  pause)  yes. 

GEORGIE. 
Always  —  till  the  very  end  ? 


ACT  in]  THE  NIGGER  263 

PHIL. 
Till  the  very  end. 

GEORGIE. 

I  don't  understand,  Phil. 
With  complete  confidence. 

But  somehow  you've  made  me  feel  I'm  wrong  — 
an'  that  it's  all  right. 

PHIL. 

Simply. 

That's  so,  Geo'gie.    Everythin'  that's  gone  befo' 
an'  everythin'  that's  comin'  aftah. 

GEORGIE. 

An'  all  through  yo'  life,  Phil,  you'll  feel  me  beside 
you  —  helpin'  —  and  lovin'  — 

PHIL. 
Honey  — !    An'  now  I  reckon  it's  good-by. 

GEORGIE. 
Good-by,  Phil  —  an'  God  bless  you  ! 

She  releases  herself,  and  turns  blindly  away.    But  he 
holds  her  hands  in  both  of  his  and  kisses  them  gravely. 


264  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  m 


PHIL. 

Looking  up  brightly  after  a  little  pause. 

Smile,  Geo'gie,  I  want  t'  see  you  smilin'  — ! 

As  she  smiles  bravely  back  at  him. 

Theah  !  That's  the  ticket !  Keep  it  up,  honey, 
an'  remembah  —  it's  all  right  —  it's  comin'  out 
all  right ! 

They  stand,  holding  one  another's  hands,  smiling  into 
one  another's  eyes. 

Just  here,  Barrington  comes  gayly  in. 

BARRINGTON. 
Seeing  them. 

Hope  I'm  not  interruptin'  too  much,  suh,  but  the 
Colonel's  come.  The  troops'll  be  heah  in  a  jiffy, 
an'  yo'  goin'  t'  draw  a  big  crowd,  too.  Got  yo' 
address  down  cold,  suh  ? 

To  Georgie. 

The  Gove'noh  makes  mighty  fine  impromptu 
speeches,  Miss  Byrd,  —  if  you  only  give  him  from 
fo'  days  to  a  week's  notice.  Evah  hea'd  him  hand 
one  out  ? 

GEORGIE. 

I'm  going  to,  this  time. 


ACT  m]  THE   NIGGER  265 

PHIL. 

Who  has  been  at  the  window. 
You  might  ask  'em  all  t'  come  in,  Barrington. 

BARRINGTON. 
All  right,  suh. 

He  goes  to  the  door. 

If  you  will  come  this  way,  gen'lemen  — 

He  lets  them  pass. 

Mrs.  Byrd  comes  in,  followed  by  Colonel  Knapp,  in  dress 
uniform,  Major  Salters,  Senator  Long,  with  four  or 
five  other  members  of  the  Legislature^  finally^  three 
reporters. 

PHIL. 
Greeting  them. 

Glad  tj  see  you,  Mrs.  Byrd. 

MRS.  BYRD. 

Oh,  I  wouldn't  have  missed  it  fo'  anything ! 
She  crosses  to  where  Georgie  is  standing. 

PHIL. 

With  brilliant  assurance. 
Colonel,  I  am  sorry  yo'  leavin'  us,  tho'  I  want  tj 


266  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  m 

congratulate  you  on  bavin'  made  yo'  presence 
unnecessary  in  so  sho't  a  time! 

To  Major  Salters. 

Major  — 

To  Long. 

I'm  glad  you  came,  Senatoh  —  mighty  glad  ! 

He  bows  and  shakes  hands  with  all  of  them. 

THE  COLONEL. 
Rather  pompously. 

Yo'  Excellency,  I  feel  bound  t'  say  that  my  officahs 
an'  men  could  nevah  have  accomplished  theah 
duty  with  such  expedition,  had  it  not  been  fo' 
yo'  invaluable  good  sense  an'  yo'  untirin'  ene'gy ! 

BARRINGTON. 
Irrepressibly,  as  he  smiles. 
Heah  —  heah ! 

THE  COLONEL. 
Going  on. 

I  am  glad,  yo'  Excellency,  that  our  State,  whom 
all  of  us  love  so  truly,  an'  our  Country,  whom  we 
reve'ence  so  deeply,  have  profited  an'  will  con 
tinue  t'  profit  by  the  effo'ts  of  men  like  yo'self. 


ACT  m]  THE  NIGGER  267 

PHIL. 
Smiling  politely. 

I'm  sho',  Colonel,  I  don't  — 

THE  COLONEL. 

I  am  grateful,  yo'  Excellency,  that  I  have  been 
brought,  durin'  these  las'  few  days,  into  so  close 
a  contact  with  a  son  of  whom  our  South  is  proud  — 
towa'ds  whom,  I  may  say,  she  looks  fo'  strength 
an'  guidance  —  in  sho't,  yo'  Excellency,  the 
Comin'  Man ! 

He  stops,  looks  around  for  approval,  and  then  shakes 
hands  with  Phil  effusively. 

PHIL. 
Shaking  hands. 

Yo'  very  good,  Colonel  —  very  good,  I'm  sho'. 

Meanwhile  a  polite  ripple  of  applause  has  run  through 
the  room,  and  the  reporters  have  taken  down  every 
word  of  the  Colonel's  speech.  During  this,  there  has 
come  up  from  below  the  noise  of  the  gathering  crowd, 
the  "  Stand  back  theah!"  "  Cleah  the  road!'1  etc.,  etc., 
of  the  policemen.  As  the  Colonel  finishes  there  rises 
a  confused  noise  of  welcome  as  the  troops  arrive. 
Short,  quick  commands  are  faintly  heard  from  below 
as  the  troops  fall  into  battalion  ranks. 


268  THE  NIGGER  [ACT  m 

THE  COLONEL. 
At  one  window. 

The  Battalion  has  fallen  into  line.  May  I  ask  if 
yo'  Excellency  is  prepared  t'  say  a  few  informal 
wo'ds  t'  the  regiments  an'  the  assembled  citizens  ? 

PHIL. 

O'  co'se,  Colonel,  if  ev'ry  one's  ready  out  theah. 
To  Georgie,  as  he  passes  her. 
Yo'  quite  sho'  —  you  feel  like  stayin'  ? 

GEORGIE 
In  a  low,  clear  voice. 

Yes  —  I  want  to  stay.  I  want  you  to  feel  me  back 
of  you  ev'ry  minute  yo'  talkin'  — 

PHIL. 
Simply. 

Thank  you. 

He  goes  to  the  centre  window  and  steps  outside  on  the 
narrow  iron  balcony.  The  afternoon  sun  strikes 
his  figure.  At  his  appearance,  a  shout  goes  up  — 
long,  steady,  enthusiastic  cheering;  and,  after  a 
moment,  the  big  regimental  band  begins  playing,  very 
slowly,  "My  Country,  'tis  of  Thee"  Phil  stands 


ACT  m]  THE  NIGGER  269 

gravely  and  quietly,  occasionally  making  slight  bows 

to  right  and  left. 
Georgie  steps  forward  a  little,  her  lips  parted,  her  hands 

clasped  uncontrollably  at  her  breast. 
All  the  people  in  the  room  are  smiling  and  applauding 

enthusiastically;    and,  —  as  Phil  in  vain  raises  his 

hand  for  silence  and  the  band  crashes  through  the 

national  anthem  and  the  roar  of  voices  still  rises  from 

below  — 

THE   CURTAIN   FALLS. 


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